BEIJING, China: Due to the country's success in containing the pandemic, China's February exports grew at a record pace, shooting up 154.9 percent in dollar terms, compared with last year when COVID-19 ravaged the world's second-largest economy, customs data showed on Sunday.

Imports rose less sharply, gaining 17.3 percent, the most since October 2018. In January-February, imports increased 22.2 percent from last year, above the 15 percent forecast, partly due to the stockpiling of semiconductors and energy products, customs officials stated.

While the data did not include figures for January alone, in the January-February period exports soared 60.6 percent from the previous year, which was plagued by lockdowns, far exceeding a Reuters poll that predicted a 38.9 percent surge.

This growth was attributed to renewed foreign demand, as manufacturing industries in the European Union and the United States saw progress and increased their imports of Chinese products, thanks to fiscal stimulus measures, customs stated on its website.

"In addition, a majority of manufacturing employees (in China) chose to stay put over the Lunar New Year holidays," the statement said. "Our survey showed a lot of firms in export-oriented provinces stayed open and orders that usually only get delivered after the new year had been delivered normally."

During the Lunar New Year, which was celebrated in Mid-February this year, Chinese factories usually see a halt in production, as workers return to their hometowns. This year, the government appealed to workers to avoid traveling to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Although analysts had predicted the trade surplus would drop to $60.15 billion from $78.17 billion in December, China posted a trade surplus of $103.25 billion for the first two months.

In yuan terms, exports rose 50.1 percent in January and February from last year, while imports gained 14.5 percent.

"Due to the impact of the new coronavirus, overall trade (in yuan terms) in January-February last year fell 9.7 percent, and the low base was one of the reasons for the larger increase this year," officials said. "But even when compared with normal years, such as the comparable periods in 2018 and 2019, growth in China's overall trade was around 20 percent."

Due to the steady demand for Chinese goods, such as medical and work-from-home equipment, China's economy expanded 2.3 percent last year, but it was the weakest growth in 44 years.

This year, considering its sharp tensions with the United States and a COVID-19-affected last year, China has set a modest growth target of at least 6 percent.

Its trade surplus with the United States stood at $51.26 billion in January-February. Although Chinese customs did not give a monthly breakdown, the surplus was $29.92 billion in December.