(Yicai Global) Nov. 4 -- China trimmed its service trade deficit by 9.8 percent to less than CNY1.2 trillion (USD168 billion) in the first three quarters of 2019, the Ministry of Commerce announced today.

The figure was down CNY129 billion from a year earlier, the ministry added. Import and export volume combined to total CNY4 trillion, up 3 percent, with exports rising 9.4 percent to CNY1.4 trillion and imports slipping 0.2 percent to CNY2.6 trillion.