BEIJING, Sept. 8 (Xinhua) -- China's total goods imports and exports in yuan-denominated terms increased 3.5 percent year on year in August, marking the third consecutive month that both exports and imports achieved simultaneous growth, official data showed Monday.

During the January-August period, China's goods trade also expanded 3.5 percent year on year, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Exports led the overall expansion during the January-August period, surging 6.9 percent year on year, while imports registered a slight decrease of 1.2 percent.