BEIJING -- China's foreign trade declined by 10.9 percent in April from a year earlier, with exports dropping 6.2 percent and imports plummeting 16.1 percent, official data showed on Friday.

Exports shed by 6.2 percent from a year earlier to 1.08 trillion yuan, while imports shrank by 16.1 percent to 873.9 billion yuan, according to data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

Trade surplus soared by 85.2 percent to 210.21 billion yuan last month.

From January to April, foreign trade decreased by 7.3 percent over the previous year, with exports rising 1.8 percent and imports dropping by 17 percent.

Trade surplus in the first four months expanded 3.4 times to 965.37 billion yuan.

After discounting seasonal factors, total trade volume declined by 10.6 percent last month.