China has reported its exports surged 7.2% in July from a year earlier while its imports grew at the fastest pace in a year, as businesses rushed to take advantage of a truce in President Donald Trump's trade war with Beijing.

China's exports beat forecasts in July, as manufacturers made the most of a fragile tariff truce between Beijing and Washington to ship goods, especially to Southeast Asia, before tougher U.S. duties targeting transshipment take effect.

China is shipping more goods to Southeast Asia and other regions that often re-export them to the United States. China still sells three times as much to the United States as it buys.