China faces challenges in reaching trade target

But experts and officials feel confident that goal of 8 percent annual growth will be achieved

China's foreign trade may manage to reach the 8 percent growth target in 2013 despite an unexpected decrease in exports in September, experts said.

In the January-September period, China's overall trade rose 7.7 percent from a year earlier to $3.06 trillion, compared with an 8.6 percent growth in the first half of this year. Exports in the first nine months went up 8 percent, while imports rose 7.3 percent, said the General Administration of Customs.