China's exports in January reached $207.13 billion, up 10.6 percent from a year earlier and a far greater increase than the 4.3-percent rise in December, the General Administration of Customs said on Wednesday.

January imports increased 10 percent year-on-year to $175.27 billion, compared with 8.3-percent growth in December. Combined exports and imports went up 10.3 percent year-on-year in January to $382.4 billion with a trade surplus of $31.86 billion.

In January, bilateral trade with the European Union gained 14.6 percent year-on-year to $341.19 billion while trade with the United States increased 8.8 percent to $299.23 billion. China's trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations went up 11.3 percent to $259.06 billion and trade with Japan up 7.8 percent to $170.05 billion, despite territorial rows.