Beijing — China’s exports rebounded more strongly than expected in April after a surprise drop the previous month, suggesting global demand remains relatively resilient and providing a cushion to the economy amid a heated trade dispute with the US. Imports in April also grew more robustly than expected, suggesting China’s domestic demand is holding up well, good news for policy makers looking to soften the blow from any trade shocks. The headline readings came as the world’s two largest economies have threatened each other with tens of billions of dollars’ worth of tariffs in recent months, leading to concern that Washington and Beijing may engage in a full-scale trade war that could damage global growth and roil financial markets. China’s April exports rose 12.9% from a year earlier, beating analysts’ forecasts for a 6.3% increase and snapping back from a 2.7% drop in March, which economists believe was heavily distorted by seasonal factors. The heated row with Washington and threa...
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