(Yicai) Dec. 31 -- China’s balance of payments with the rest of the world remained basically in equilibrium in the first nine months of the year, according to the latest official data.

In US dollar terms, the current account surplus was USD241.3 billion in the year to the end of September, equivalent to 1.8 percent of gross domestic product and remaining within a reasonable and balanced range, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange said on Dec. 27.

Notably, exports and imports of goods rose 6 percent and 3 percent, respectively, from a year earlier, while the trade surplus reached a record high for the same period.

The fundamental conditions and long-term positive trajectory of China's economy remain unchanged, continuing to provide solid support for the balance of payments, said Li Bin, deputy director of the SAFE.

China's external financial assets stood at USD10.21 trillion as of Sept. 30, up 4.3 percent from June 30 and surpassing the USD10 trillion mark for the first time, according to SAFE data. The external financial liabilities rose 3.3 percent to USD7.03 trillion in the period, resulting in USD3.18 trillion of net external assets, a 6.5 percent increase.

In the first three quarters, inbound securities investments totaled USD93.1 billion, marking the fourth consecutive quarter of net inflows and reflecting increased foreign investment in Chinese yuan-denominated assets. Meanwhile, outbound investments also grew steadily, with financial account assets increasing by USD314.9 billion.

China's external debt balance, including in yuan and foreign currencies, fell 1.1 percent to USD2.517 trillion from June 30. This was mainly due to factors such as relatively high foreign currency financing costs, Li noted.

Editor: Futura Costaglione