A full recovery of China's foreign trade would still face a bumpy ride although it reported its first gain in overseas shipments in 13 months, as the sluggish overseas demand would not be remarkably improved in a short term, analysts said.

Imports and exports rose 9.8 percent in November from a year earlier to stand at $208.2 billion, ending 12 consecutive months of contraction, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Li Jian, a researcher with Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, attributed the positive figures to a lower comparison base from the same period last year, when exports was down 2.2 percent year-on-year in the first monthly decline since June 2001 due to the devastating global credit crunch.