There's little cause for optimism about China's exports in 2014, because demand in both developed and developing countries is growing too slowly to boost purchases of the nation's products, a commerce official told China Daily.

Meanwhile, rising domestic costs are eroding China's traditional competitive advantage in prices, forcing the government to "fight hard for steady trade growth" in the coming year.

"Concerning foreign trade next year, China is facing a difficult or very difficult outlook. In other words, we have to work hard for steady growth," Song Lihong, deputy director-general of the Comprehensive Department at the Ministry of Commerce, said in an exclusive interview.