BEIJING (AP) — China's trade growth accelerated in September in a sign of resilient global and domestic consumer demand.

Trade data on Friday showed exports rose 8.1 percent, up from August's 5.5 percent. Imports rose 18.7 percent, an improvement from the previous month's 13.3 percent.

The figures were a positive sign for Chinese demand despite forecasters' expectations that economic growth will slow this year as Beijing tightens controls on bank lending to rein in surging debt.

Business activity also was bigger this year due in part to the timing of the country's Mid-Autumn Festival holiday. That meant there were more working days in September than in the same month of 2016.