REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, MEDAN -- North Sumatra recorded a surplus of US$188.297 million in its trade with China in the first seven months of this year, according to the local office of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

During the period, North Sumatra's exports to China had reached US$662.007 million, while its imports from the largest economy in Asia were valued at US$473.711 million, chief of the BPS office in North Sumatra Wien Kusdiatmono reported here on Saturday.

He stated that North Sumatra's exports to China in the year ended July 31, 2014 represented a 2.28 percent increase compared with US$647.253 million in the same period last year.

In contrast, the province's imports from China in the January-July 2014 period fell 14.39 percent to US$473.711 million from US$553.316 million in the same period last year, he said.

Secretary of the Association of Indonesian Exporters of North Sumatra chapter Sofyan Subang attributed the decline in the province's imports from China to low demand because of economic slowdown.

North Sumatra's imports from China comprised fertilizers, electronics, foods and beverages, among others.

Crude palm oil (CPO) and rubber remained the province's major foreign exchange earners although global demand for the two commodities showed a downward trend.

Chief of the Indonesian Palm Oil Council Derom Bangun said CPO demand from China and India had declined due to economic slowdown.

The low demand has put pressure on the export prices of the two commodities, he added.

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