China's foreign trade volume grew 23.5 percent to US$1282 billion in the first 11 months of this year, Chinese customs said on Monday.

The country's trade surplus hit a record US$90 billion. Exports totaled US$686 billion, up 29.7 percent, and imports came to US$595 billion, up 17.1 percent year on year.

November's trade volume reached US$133.74 billion, the highest single month trade volume for this year.

The customs statistics showed that export of general trade kept fast growth in the period, reaching US$538 billion, up 21.4 percent year on year.

The trade volume of processing trade reached US$620 billion, up 26 percent.

The foreign trade volume of foreign-funded enterprises reached US$747 billion, up 25.4 percent, 0.9 percentage point more than the growth rate of last year's same period.

The foreign trade volume of state-owned companies reached US$332 billion, up 11.9 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency December 13, 2005)