China's foreign trade volume grew by 15.7 percent year on year in April, faster than the 12.1 percent increase in March, according to customs data released on May 8.

The General Administration of Customs, said in a statement that total exports and imports stood at $356 billion in April. Exports rose 14.7 percent year on year to $187 billion, while imports surged 16.8 percent to $169 billion, the data showed.

China saw a trade surplus of $18.16 billion in April, narrowing 1.7 percent from a year earlier. In the first four months of the year, total foreign trade expanded 14 percent from a year ago to $1.33 trillion, while trade surplus stood at $61 billion.