China's exports witnessed their heaviest fall in nearly seven years in February diving more than a quarter as feeble global trades offset the weaker Yuan and raised pressure on Beijing to ramp up domestic demand as a driver of expansion. While promising reforms and higher spending to boost the world's number two economy, the below-forecast reading is the latest data raised fears of a ‘hard landing’ in China and comes days after Beijing cut its growth target for this year.

Last month, customs figures showed exports sank 25.4 per cent on-year to $126.1 billion, sharper than the 14.5 per cent economists predicted and the worst performance since May 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis. China is the world's biggest trader in goods and a key driver of international growth but its firms have been battered by weak demand from major markets as the global economy stutters. In turn, its slowing expansion has sent commodities prices plunging, battering producer economies such as Australia.

China’s imports fell for the 16th consecutive month, plunging 13.8 per cent to $93.6 billion. Analysts at ANZ Research cited ‘weakening global trade’ and ‘sluggish domestic demand’ as factors driving the ‘disappointing’ export and import results.