Customs officials say exports fell 10 percent in September from the same month last year, to 184.5 billion dollars. The figure was down for the 6th straight month.

Imports also shrank year-on-year for the first time in 2 months, by 1.9 percent, to 142.5 billion dollars.

Performance in both exports and imports was worse than predicted.

China's overall foreign trade totaled 327 billion dollars last month. That was 6.6 percent lower than the amount in September, 2015.

To bolster domestic demand, the Chinese government has been increasing construction of social infrastructure and supporting vehicle and housing sales.

But the latest data show that the world's second largest economy is still struggling with weak demand, both at home and abroad.