Steps on to trim servicetrade deficit

BEIJING - China will make every effort to achieve a 10 percent growth in service trade this year, on the back of steps to narrow the trade deficit in the sector, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday.

The ministry said the nation's service trade fell by 6 percent to $286.8 billion in 2009, the first yearly drop since 2001.

Service exports declined by 12.2 percent last year to $128.6 billion, while imports grew by 0.1 percent to $158.2 billion.