China's exports and imports shrank for the sixth month in a row in April, the General Administration of Customs said on Tuesday.

Exports fell 22.6 percent in April from the same period a year ago to US$91.94 billion. Imports were down 23 percent to US$78.8 billion.

The trade surplus was US$13.14 billion.

A Citic Securities analyst said the weakening global economic outlook, depreciation of major Asian currencies, as well as the resurgence of protectionism continued to impede China's exports. It is likely to continue throughout the first half of the year, said the analyst.

The combined foreign trade in April was worth US$170.73 billion, down 22.8 percent year on year, but that was up 10.4 percent from that for March.

Exports in the four months to April totaled US$337.42 billion, down 20.5 percent, and imports went down 28.7 percent to US$261.99 billion over the same period.

(Xinhua News Agency May 12, 2009)