HONG KONG (AP) — China’s export growth eased in August while imports shrank for the second month in a row.

Customs data released Monday showed that exports rose 9.4 percent to $208 billion last month, down from a 14.5 percent expansion in July.

Imports contracted 2.4 percent to $158.6 billion, after shrinking 1.6 percent the month before.

That left a trade surplus of $49.8 billion.

The figures indicate that global demand for China’s manufactured goods is holding up but domestic demand remains weak, underlining the fragile recovery in the world’s second biggest economy

China’s communist leaders are relying on exports to help support employment while trying to nurture growth based on domestic consumption.

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