China's exports rose 11.3 percent year on year to $180.21 billion in June, slowing from the 15.3-percent spurt in May, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

Imports increased 6.3 percent to $148.48 billion, against a growth of 12.7 percent a month earlier.

Trade surplus jumped 42.9 percent year on year to reach $31.73 billion in June, surpassing market expectations.

In the first half of 2012, total foreign trade reached $1.84 trillion, a rise of 8 percent year on year, lower than the 10-percent increase targeted by the government for the whole year.

Combined trade surplus surged by 56.4 percent year on year to $68.92 billion in the first half.

GAC attributed the trade slowdown to the persistent impact of the global financial crisis, saying China's trade with the EU and Japan almost stalled in the first half.

"We are still facing a more complicated and severe situation in foreign trade," said GAC spokesman Zheng Yuesheng at a press conference on July 10. "But China's core competitiveness in manufacturing will not see significant changes in the short term."

"If the world economy, particularly the European debt crisis, does not become worse, we will hopefully achieve the 10-percent growth goal in foreign trade this year," Zheng added.