China's trade surplus stood at $16.68 billion in April, the General Administration of Customs said on Monday.

The figure was down about 1 percent from the same month last year, but up from $13.4 billion in March, and $8.6 billion in February.

Exports in April rose 21.8 percent year on year to $118.71 billion, while imports were up 26.3 percent to $102.03 billion.

Total trade in the first four months hit $791.1 billion, up 24.4 percent year-on-year. The four-month trade surplus was $58 billion, down $5.32 billion year-on-year.

Exports in the four-month period were $424.6 billion, up 21.5 percent, or 6 percentage points less than a year earlier. Imports were $366.6 billion, up 27.9 percent, or 8.8 percentage points more than a year earlier.