China’s July exports accelerate despite hike in US tariffs

BEIJING (AP) — China’s exports accelerated in July, showing little impact from a U.S. tariff hike, while sales to the United States rose 13.3 percent over a year earlier.

Customs data released Wednesday showed exports rose 12.2 percent to $215.5 billion, up from June’s 11.3 percent growth. That was despite Washington’s imposition of 25 percent duties on $34 billion of Chinese goods on July 6 in a dispute over technology.

Imports surged 27.3 percent to $187.5 billion, outpacing the previous month’s 14.1 percent.

Growth in exports to the United States was off slightly from June’s 13.6 percent. That was more than offset by stronger exports to the rest of the world, possibly helped by a weaker Chinese currency.

Beijing has warned its exporters face “rising instabilities.”