Exporters yet to fully cash in on domestic demand

China may have become the largest auto market because of the unexpected surge in the sale of vehicles in the past six months, but its prospects of becoming the world's largest goods exporter don't seem all that rosy.

Last year, China's exports worth $1.43 trillion was slightly lower than Germany's $1.47 trillion. But the WTO has forecast that despite a 10-percent drop in world trade volume this year, China will overtake Germany as the largest goods exporter because it is well positioned to reap the benefits of a likely global recovery faster.

The WTO forecast should have come as heartening news to Chinese policymakers, justifiably worried over declining overseas demand, and must have enthused Chinese exporters.