China posted a trade surplus of 101.9 billion U.S. dollars in 2005, an increase of 69.9 billion dollars from 2004, Director of National Bureau of Statistics Li Deshui said in Beijing Wednesday.

Li made the announcement at a press conference held by the State Council Information Office.

"China's foreign trade keeps fast growth and foreign direct investment maintains high level," he said.

China's foreign trade volume totaled 1.4 trillion U.S. dollars in 2005, up 23.2 percent over the previous year, he said.

The country's exports amounted to 762 billion U.S. dollars last year, up 28.4 percent year-on-year; and imports, 660.12 billion U.S. dollars, a rise of 17.6 percent.

The foreign direct investment actually used in 2005 was 60.3 billion dollars, a drop of 0.5 percent, he said.

The year-end foreign exchange reserves of China reached 818.9 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 208.9 billion U.S. dollars as compared with that at the beginning of the year, he said.

Source: Xinhua