SHANGHAI, Nov 09, 2011 (Dow Jones) -- China imported 49.94 million metric tons of iron ore in October, an increase of 9.2% from a year earlier, preliminary data provided Thursday by the General Administration of Customs showed.

October iron ore imports declined 18% from the previous month, when 60.57 million tons were brought in.

In the January-October period, imports rose 11% to 557.93 million tons.

The country exported 3.82 million tons and imported 1.2 million tons of steel products in October.

In the January-October period, steel product exports increased 11.3% to 40.97 million tons, while imports fell 3.5% to 13.16 million tons, the data showed.