He said exports would keep growing this year, albeit at a slower rate than in 2007, as would imports.
BEIJING (Reuters) - U.S. subprime woes will have only a limited impact on Chinese exports but the government will pay close attention to the fallout of the crisis, Commerce Minister Chen Deming said on Monday.
He said exports would keep growing this year, albeit at a slower rate than in 2007, as would imports.
Exports rose 25.7 percent in 2007 to $1.218 trillion, while imports increased 20.8 percent to $955.8 billion.
Chen was speaking to reporters on the sidelines of meetings of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Committee, a body that advises the National People's Congress, or parliament, whose annual session opens on Wednesday.
!ADVERTISEMENT!Chen played down the impact of various trade disputes with the United States, saying the two governments were working to resolve their differences.
China would increase its food reserves, Chen said, but he declined to say what products he had in mind or how much would be added to the stockpiles. China holds reserves of grains and pork among other foods.
Separately, Finance Minister Xie Xuren said that China would stick to a prudent fiscal policy this year and that there would be no tightening of the fiscal stance. (Reporting by Zhou Xin and Lucy Hornby; Editing by Alan Wheatley and Ken Wills)
