BEIJING: Chinese exports grew at a forecast-busting rate last month, data showed Friday, while imports surged at their strongest rate in a decade as the global economy bounced back from the pandemic crisis and domestic consumption continued to recover at a healthy pace.
With vaccines being rolled out around the world — particularly in the key US market — and economically painful lockdowns being eased, demand for China’s goods has picked up this year, having fallen off a cliff in 2020.
Shipments abroad soared 32.3% on-year in April — smashing the 24.1% expected in a Bloomberg survey — thanks to a sharp rise in demand for electronics and medical masks.
The impressive figures are attributable to last…