International trade in the first six months of this year has expanded at the fastest pace since the second half of 2011, the Xinhua news agency reports.

The report cites data published by the General Administration of Customs on Thursday.

The Mainland’s exports rose by 15 percent in year-on-year terms in the first half and imports surged 25.7 percent compared to the same period last year.

The volume of trade was 13.14 trillion yuan (US$1.94 trillion) in the first six months of this year, up by 19.6 percent from the same time last year.

The growth was bolstered by a smaller base for comparison, the Government’s support measures and recovering global demand, the General Administration of Customs spokesperson says.