BEIJING - China's exports of goods increased by 36.2 percent in February year on year to 1.11 trillion yuan ($176 billion), compared with a rise of 6 percent in January, the General Administration of Customs reported on Thursday.

Imports fell 0.2 percent to 888.16 billion yuan in February. That left the monthly trade surplus to 224.88 billion yuan, an reversal from a trade deficit of 72.99 billion yuan in the same period a year ago.

In the first two months, exports rose 18 percent while imports were up by 15.2 percent. Trade surplus expanded 37.2 percent to 362.2 billion yuan.