21.   Imports from Asia continue to show strong gains on the back of Japanese companies boosting output offshore.

22.   An EPA official said exports maintained a declining trend, while imports continued a gentle rise.

23.   China posted a two-billion-dollar trade surplus in November, as imports continued their downward trend, according to customs statistics published Saturday.

24.   Economists have been predicting that imports will continue to surge as the economic recovery demands more imported equipment, but exports were also expected to improve.