China's trade surplus in the first half of this year fell 18.2 percent from a year ago to reach $44.93 billion, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said on Sunday.

During the same period, total foreign trade value topped $1.7 trillion, up 25.8 percent year-on-year, with exports up 24 percent to reach $874.3 billion and imports surging 27.6 percent to hit $829.37 billion.

In June, exports and imports reached $301.69 billion in value, up 18.5 percent year-on-year. June's trade surplus stood at $22.27 billion, up 10.3 percent year on year. It also jumped from $13.05 billion in May.

In breakdown, June's exports hit a record monthly high of $161.98 billion, up 17.9 percent, but the rate of growth decelerated from the 19.4-percent increase in May.

Imports reached $139.71 billion, up 19.3 percent. The growth also slowed from the 28.4-percent increase in May, according to figures that on the GAC's website Sunday.

GAC spokesman Zhao Fudi said it marks the first time for China's export and import data to be published online. "It will make our figures release more timely, open, and transparent, and also promote online exchanges between us and the public," Zhao said.

In the first six months, China's exports to its two largest trading partners, namely the EU and the United States, both grew 16.9 percent to reach $164.48 billion and $145.51 billion, respectively.

The pace of growth was significantly slower than the average 24-percent average growth of the nation's exports, as these developed economies are in a sluggish state, Zhao said.

The ASEAN's (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) bilateral trade with China grew 25.4 percent to $171.12 billion, overtaking Japan as the country's third largest trading partner in the first half. Trade between China and Japan rose 19 percent to $162.35 billion.

China's Guangdong Province remained the country's top trade powerhouse, accounting for more than one fourth of the nation's total trade volume. It was followed by Jiangsu Province and Shanghai Municipality.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2011)