(Reuters) - China's export growth picked up steam in December, while imports recovered, closing out the year on a positive note as the world's second-largest economy braces for mounting trade risks with the incoming U.S. administration.

Outbound shipments in December rose 10.7% year-on-year, customs data showed on Monday, while imports surprised to the upside with a 1% growth. Economists had expected a 1.5% decline.

KEY POINTS: * Soybean: December imports at 7.94 mmt, down 0.2% y/y

* Unwrought copper: Dec imports at 559,000 mt, up 17.8% y/y

* Coal: December imports at 542.7 mmt, up 14.4% y/y

* Iron ore: December imports at 1.24 bln mt, up 4.9% y/y

* Rare earths: December imports at 9,645 T, down 41.1% y/y

Preliminary table of commodity trade data

Below are comments from analysts on the commodities data.

COMMENT ON IRON ORE

TOMAS GUTIERREZ, HEAD OF DATA, KALLANISH COMMODITIES, LONDON

China will probably see a slight drop in total iron ore demand in 2025 ... There will also be support for local mining. Spot demand from China for seaborne iron ore should decline, though there may be some more equity ore imported. COMMENT ON RARE EARTH

DAAN DE JONGE, ANALYST, BENCHMARK MINERAL INTELLIGENCE, LONDON

We expect the market to behave largely similar in 2025 as it did last year. The market is still oversupplied to a fairly significant degree, and it will take some time for lower supply growth to meaningfully impact the market balance. Reductions in supply growth coming out of China are notable, but not enough to cause a rationalisation in 2025.

COMMENT ON CHINA CRUDE IMPORTS

EMRIL JAMIL, ANALYST, LSEG

China in 2024 was a let down with the market expecting steady to stronger growth from 2023. Deflationary pressures and transport electrification dampened growth.

LINKS: For details, see the official Customs website (www.customs.gov.cn)

BACKGROUND:

China is the world's biggest crude oil importer and top buyer of coal, copper, iron ore and soybeans.

(Reporting by Asia Commodities and Energy team; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)