China's exports rose 11.6 percent from one year earlier in October while imports climbed 2.4 percent year on year, the General Administration of Customs said Saturday.

The October trade surplus widened to $31.99 billion from $27.67 billion in September and $26.66 billion in August.

In the first ten months, the country's foreign trade volume expanded 6.3 percent from the same period of last year, the administration said.

China targets 10 percent growth in total foreign trade this year, a figure which officials concede is going to be hard to achieve.

(Xinhua News Agency November 9, 2012)