China trade surplus falls to six year low
Leslie Hook, Financial Times
Chinas overall trade surplus last year fell to $155bn, its lowest level since 2005, underscoring how slowing global growth and rising Chinese demand are reshaping the countrys economy.
The falling trade surplus could ease pressure on China to accelerate the appreciation of the renminbi, in a year when US election politics have turned up the rhetoric over Chinese trade policies.
US Treasury secretary Tim Geithner arrives in Beijing on Tuesday for a two-day visit to discuss trade and economic issues, and he is also expected to press for Chinese co-operation on recent US sanctions on Iranian oil transactions.
Chinas trade surplus shrank last year as imports grew faster than exports, partly due to Beijings growing purchases of commodities like iron ore and crude oil.
full: http://liveweb.archive.org/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e4611332-3b42-11e1-be4b-00144feabdc0.html
(adding the liveweb.archive.org part evades the paywall)