China Says January Trade Surplus Expands 22.7 Percent to $19.5 Billion, State News Reports

China's global trade surplus in January rose 22.7 percent compared with the year-earlier period to $19.5 billion, a state news agency reported Friday.

The figure, reported by the Xinhua News Agency, appeared likely to fuel foreign criticism of Beijing's swollen surpluses and calls by some American lawmakers for punitive tariffs on Chinese imports.

The January trade gap was well below October's record monthly high of $27 billion. It was the first month since last April that China's trade gap was below $20 billion.