China will retain its title as the world's leading export nation despite surging German foreign orders, DPA quoted the Berlin-based chamber of trade and commerce (DIHK) as saying Monday. Germany was overtaken by China as export champion last year as the Asian economic powerhouse's industrial sector expanded rapidly. But a DIHK survey showed that even if Germany chalked up solid export growth this year and in 2011, it is unlikely that Europe's biggest economy will be able to dethrone China as the number one exporter. "With a forecast export growth rate of 18 per cent in 2010 and 15 per cent in 2011, China will continue to extend its lead over Germany," said DIHK economist Axel Nitschke. A sharp rise in exports have helped to power Germany out of what has been its steepest recession in a generation. German exports surged, more than forecast, by 3.8 per cent in June, the statistics office said Monday with a weaker euro and rapidly expanding emerging economies underpinning demand for the nation's foreign orders. Analysts had predicted that exports would rise month-on-month by 1.8 per cent in June after soaring by a revised 7.9 per cent in May. Based on a survey carried out in 80 nations the DIHK said it expected German exports to grow by about 8 per cent in 2011 following a rise of no less than 11 per cent this year. German exports slumped by 17.9 per cent in 2009 as the global trade shrank in the wake of what has been dubbed the Great Recession. Despite the solid increase, the DIHK sees new opportunities continuing to emerge for German exporters. This includes in the climate protection sector and the expansion of the renewable energy industry. "For the German export industry, environmental technology will grow at the fastest worldwide rate in the coming years," said Nitschke.
