China is now world8217;s largest exporter

Germany,which had remained the largest exporter since 2003,logged the heavy export drop due to the financial crisis in 2009,Kyodo news agency reported,quoting official trade figures released on Monday.

China has become the world8217;s production base as major Japanese,U.S. and European companies have built manufacturing plants in the communist nation.

China also replaced the United States in domestic new vehicle sales in 2009 and is expected to become the world8217;s second-largest economic power in terms of gross domestic product in place of Japan this year,the report said.