Govt unmoved by slow exports

The Ministry of Commerce remains optimistic about trade for the rest of the year and will maintain the policies adopted in the beginning of the year despite widespread concerns over the export slowdown, according to the vice-minister of commerce.

The current trade figures are within the government's expectations, and the export slowdown is the result of trade policy adjustments initiated earlier this year, Vice-Minister of Commerce Gao Hucheng said.

The growth rate of exports slowed to 21.9 percent for the first half, compared with the 27.6 percent increase over the same period last year. Exports for June alone went up only by 17.6 percent, much slower than the 28.1 percent rise in May.