- From TikTok to Hollywood, the irresistible rise of Italy's Khaby Lame
- Verstappen punished for swearing in Singapore press conference
- Sri Lanka lead by 202 in first New Zealand Test
- Brook 'not too fussed' by England's batting in heavy Australia loss
- India's Ashwin 'happy' to embrace pressure
- A modern 'Trojan Horse': two days of mayhem in Lebanon
- Third of Burundi mpox cases in children under five: UN
- Man Utd appoint Foster + Partners to develop Old Trafford 'masterplan'
- Israel-Hezbollah exchanges intensify on Lebanon border
- French mayor sorry for 'no one died' remark over mass rape trial
- Mohamed Al-Fayed, outsider shunned by British high society
- Lawyers say 'monster' late Harrods owner abused dozens of women
- India in box seat after Bumrah takes four against Bangladesh
- Taiwan retains death penalty but limits use to 'exceptional' cases
- Ferrari's Leclerc sets early pace in Singapore ahead of Norris
- 10 years into Huthi rule, some Yemenis count the cost
- France poised to finally get new govt
- Kompany, Alonso call for action on player workload amid strike talks
- Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson doubtful for Bournemouth clash
- Bumrah takes four as India bowl out Bangladesh for 149
- Sri Lanka 134-1 to take upper hand in first New Zealand Test
- Bayern's Kompany calls for game cap for players amid strike talks
- Christie's expands Hong Kong footprint in hope of art market 'pickup'
- Sultry screen legend Sophia Loren turns 90
- Cambodian opposition figure in court on incitement charge
- Bumrah takes three wickets to have Bangladesh in trouble at 112-8
- Kimchi threat as heatwave drives up South Korea cabbage prices
- UK economic data delivers fresh blow to new govt
- China to 'gradually resume' seafood imports from Japan after Fukushima ban
- India minister blames dam release for flooding
- O'Rourke strikes early for Kiwis as Sri Lanka trail by three
- Deep takes two as Bangladesh totter in reply to India's 376
- Israel pounds Lebanon's Hezbollah after device blasts
- Revolution or mirage? Controversy surrounds new Alzheimer's drugs
- Ashwin's 113 powers India to 376 in Bangladesh Test
- Biden opens home to 'Quad' leaders for farewell summit
- Sally Rooney returns with 30-something questions
- Wallabies sense 'massive' chance to upset All Blacks
- Taiwan questions two in probe into Hezbollah pagers
- Viral Korean Olympic shooter scores first acting role as assassin
- Farrell set for 'challenge' of downing Bordeaux in Top 14
- Springbok Etzebeth diverts attention from looming caps record
- Inter on a high ahead of Milan derby as Napoli face Juve test
- Bank of Japan leaves key interest rate unchanged
- Arnold quits after six years in charge of Australia
- Asian markets track Wall Street record to extend global rally
- Guirassy and Anton to return to Stuttgart with new side Dortmund
- Marseille bidding to continue 'almost perfect' Ligue 1 start
- Arnold quits as coach of Australia men's football team
- Harris and Oprah hold star-studded US election rally
China exports up 16.3% as trade with Russia surged
Chinese exports in January and February rose a combined 16.3 percent on surging global demand and a spike in trade with Russia in the run-up to the war in Ukraine, according to customs data released on Monday.
The growth rate exceeded economists' expectations of a 15.7 percent gain from a year earlier.
Shipments from the world's second-largest economy were valued at $544.7 billion in the first two months, the data from the General Administration of Customs showed.
Exports to Russia rose 41 percent compared to the same period in the previous year.
Trade data for January and February is usually combined to even out the impact of the extended Chinese new year holiday, which usually begins in one of those two months.
Imports rose 15.5 percent to $428.75 billion in the first two months of the year, leaving a Chinese trade surplus of $115.95 billion.
Exports remain a bright spot for a Chinese economy that has slowed sharply in recent months due to virus outbreaks, a property market slump and regulatory crackdowns on key sectors.
China's leaders Saturday set a target of 5.5 percent GDP growth this year -- the lowest annual goal since 1991 -- with Premier Li Keqiang warning of a "grave and uncertain" outlook as the war in Ukraine threatens to damage global supply chains.
China's coal imports in the first two months doubled from a year earlier as Beijing scrambled to replenish supplies after a shortage late last year caused power cuts that paralysed large swathes of the economy.
Exports to Russia grew at the fastest rate among China's major trading partners in January and February, outpacing trade with the European Union and the United States.
Russia was also the second biggest source of imports for China, which buys energy products from its neighbour.
Trade with China has served as a lifeline for Russia, which had already faced Western sanctions over its 2014 seizure of the Crimea region from Ukraine.
Moscow's international isolation has deepened following its invasion of Ukraine that began late last month.
China has been Russia's largest trading partner for more than a decade, according to commerce ministry data.
Beijing approved Russian wheat imports just hours before the outbreak of hostilities in Ukraine.
But analysts believe China will avoid dramatically increasing trade support to Russia to avoid running afoul of the global sanctions arrayed against Moscow.
F.Pavlenko--BTB