Shipping containers sit stacked at Qingdao Port after snow on February 14, 2019 in Qingdao, Shandong Province of China.

China's dollar-denominated exports and imports were both higher in December, Reuters reported citing data from the General Administration of Customs.

In December, dollar-denominated exports rose 7.6% on-year, against a 1.3% drop in November.

December imports were 16.3% higher than year ago, Reuters reported citing data from the Chinese customs.

Economists polled by Reuters had expected dollar-denominated exports to rise 3.2% on-year and imports to rise 9.6% in the same period.

December trade surplus was $46.79 billion, against an expected $48 billion.

The better-than-expected trade data was "more a reflection of base and price effects than of current strength," said Julian Evans-Pritchard and Martin Rasmussen, China economists at Capital Economics, referring to higher import prices.

In December China's trade surplus with the U.S. was $23.18 billion — down from $24.6 billion in November.