China's total trade surplus stood at US$23.3 billion for the first three months of this year, said sources with the General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Wednesday.

According to a report released by the customs office, China's export volume grew by 26.6 percent year on year to US$197.3 billion in the first quarter, while imports were worth US$174 billion, up 24.8 percent from a year ago.

China saw a record high monthly trade volume of US$144.9 billion in March, an increase of 24.9 percent year on year.

Exports in March reached US$78.04 billion, growing by 28.3 percent year on year, while imports reached US$66.86 billion, up 21.1 percent.

GAC reports that China's general trade in the first quarter reached US$156.79 billion, with exports growing by 24.4 percent from a year ago to nearly US$82 billion while imports were up 22.3 percent to US$74.8 billion.

Exports of processed goods grew by 27.3 percent year on year to over US$107 billion and import processing volume was up 26.5 percent to US$70.84 billion.

The European Union remains China's top trading partner with bilateral trade growing by 21.1 percent year on year to US$57.11 billion.

The United States is China's second largest trading partner and Japan, the third, with the trade volume reaching US$55.62 billion and US$45.97 billion respectively.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains China's fourth largest trading partner with bilateral trade growing by 25.7 percent year on year to US$34.53 billion.

(Xinhua News Agency April 13, 2006)