China's exports denominated in yuan rose 1.2 percent in May from the same period a year earlier, the General Administration of Customs have said.

The country's yuan-denominated imports rose 5.1 percent. That produced a trade surplus of almost 325 billion yuan for the month.

Meanwhile, on a dollar-denominated basis, China's May exports fell by a more-than-expected 4.1 percent from a year earlier, while imports slipped by 0.4 percent, much less than predicted.

That left the country with a trade surplus of just under 50 billion US dollars for the month. Analysts say the country's imports may be helped by higher commodity prices and better domestic investment in the near future.