Official data showed that China's exports expanded 7.2 percent year-on-year in July, as the world's second-largest economy navigates a shaky trade truce with the United States.

The increase in China's overseas shipments last month outpaced a Bloomberg forecast of 5.6 percent and June's 5.8 percent growth.

Imports jumped 4.1 percent year-on-year in July, compared with a Bloomberg forecast of a one percent fall.

Imports had risen 1.1 percent in June.

Data also showed that China's exports to the United States, its largest trading partner, continued to fall, sinking 6.1 percent from the previous month.

Total imports and exports for the first seven months of the year climbed 3.5 percent to 25.7 trillion yuan.

Beijing and Washington agreed in Sweden last month to hold further on extending their tariff truce.

That deal has temporarily set fresh US duties on Chinese goods at 30 percent, while Beijing's levies on US goods stand at 10 percent.

The accord -- initially agreed in Geneva in May -- brought down triple-digit tariffs each side had imposed on the other after US President Donald Trump launched his trade war on April 2.

The 90-day truce is set to end on August 12, when the original duties could snap back.

Thursday's data also comes after Trump unveiled new tariffs on dozens of trading partners -- including a blistering 35 percent on Canada -- as he seeks to reshape global trade to benefit the US economy. (AFP & agencies)