CHINA is cautiously optimistic about exports this year, Commerce Minister Chen Deming said today.
"If the external environment does not change drastically, China's exports may fare better than last year," Chen said during the sidelines of the annual session of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in Beijing.
China, the world's largest exporter, sold goods worth US$2.05 trillion in 2012 to overseas markets, up 7.9 percent from a year earlier.
The recovery from last year's eurozone debt crisis seemed to be accelerating as China's exports jumped 25 percent in January from the year before, far exceeding expectations.
Lu Zhengwei, chief economist at Industrial Bank, said exports may stabilize in February with overseas sales expanding 15 percent on an annual basis.
However, exporters at the ongoing East China Fair were somewhat worried. Attendance was less than expected, and not as many deals were signed.
"There are not so many professional buyers as before, and most are from countries like Japan," said a sales manager surnamed Li with Hangzhou Sun Hong Import & Export Co Ltd, a producer of clothes that mainly targets the European market.