Foreign trade to maintain growth pace in '19

While China's customs data points to solid growth in imports and exports in the first 11 months of 2018, experts predicted a continuously narrowing surplus and a growing trade volume next year.

"The country's foreign trade will maintain its momentum in the next year, and as China has become more aware of the importance of imports, the trade surplus is expected to further decrease," said Wang Xiaosong, a researcher with the National Academy of Development and Strategy at Renmin University of China. "The nation is expected to see a more balanced trade structure."

According to the General Administration of Customs (GAC), China saw 11.1 percent yearly growth in goods trade in first 11 months of this year, with the value already exceeding the total foreign trade amount registered last year.