The decline in China’s exports accelerated in February as a slump in global demand worsened, adding to pressure on Beijing to pump up the world’s third-largest economy with its massive stimulus plan and avert more job losses.

EU trade commissioner Peter Mandelson and China’s commerce minister called today for closer trade ties but announced no breakthroughs in talks on import controls and other disputes.

China’s commerce minister took the unusual step of thanking foreign companies on national television today for donating earthquake aid, dismissing accusations spread on Chinese websites that they were doing too little.

China said today the toll of dead and missing from last week’s powerful earthquake had jumped to more than 80,000, while the government appealed for millions of tents to shelter homeless survivors.