The performance of China’s foreign trade sector is expected to improve in 2015, helped by a recovering global economy, reported an affiliate of Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua.

The China Securities Journal reported on Tuesday the nation’s foreign trade turnover is poised to grow by 6 percent in 2015, compared with about 4 percent last year.

Official figures show China’s total imports and exports hit US$3.9 trillion in the first 11 months of 2014, up 3.4 percent in year-on-year terms, but far behind the official growth target of 7.5 percent.

The newspaper noted that the International Monetary Fund predicts the global economy to grow 3.8 percent this year against a forecast 3.3 percent in 2014.

Policies implemented by China further to open up its economy, including the establishment of free trade zones, should also help its foreign trade sector to gain momentum, the report added.

“The growth of China’s foreign trade may improve in 2015 but the rebound will be limited as uncertainties and risks continue to exist,” the newspaper cautioned.