'Uphill climb' forecast to reach trade target

Simultaneousexport, import decline unusual; fall also reflects fake invoicing

Achieving the 7.5 percent foreign trade growth target for 2014 will be an arduous task, given that the nation's exports and imports are under extreme pressure, as shown by unexpected weakness in the first four months.

"We have to achieve average growth of 11.3 percent in the coming eight months, which will take a lot of effort," Zhang Ji, head of the Ministry of Commerce's foreign trade department, told a news conference in Beijing on Tuesday.