BEIJING -- China's exports are likely to see a slight increase in the next two to three months following a surprise year-on-year drop in September, an official said Thursday.

Shen Danyang, spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce (MOC), said at a monthly press conference that the country will still face inadequate demand from emerging markets in the next few months.

"Meanwhile, Chinese companies are confronted with rising export costs caused by the appreciation of the yuan and escalating labor costs, among other factors," Shen said.

A recent survey of some 1,900 foreign trade companies by the MOC shows that export orders have fluctuated in past months, especially orders from emerging economies.

However, thanks to the government's recent efforts in trade facilitation and upcoming policies to support exporters, Shen forecast that the country's exports will see modest growth in the next two or three months.

China's exports fell unexpectedly by 0.3 percent in September from a year earlier, ending two months of consecutive gains, customs data showed.

In the first nine months of the year, exports rose 8 percent from a year earlier, while total trade volume gained 7.7 percent year on year.