China's foreign trade volume reached a record high of 30.51 trillion yuan ($4.51 trillion) in 2018, an increase of 9.7 percent year-on-year, official data showed on Monday.

The country's exports rose 7.1 percent to 16.42 trillion yuan while imports surged 12.9 percent to 14.09 trillion yuan last year, said Li Kuiwen, spokesman of the General Administration of Customs.

Trade surplus continued to narrow last year, shrinking 18.3 percent to 2.33 trillion yuan, he said at a press conference.