Despite accelerated activity in September, China's chances of hitting its annual foreign trade growth target this year were described as "hopeless", according to a well-placed source.

Economists and trade watchers agreed that due to a number of factors, the euro-debt crisis being the most significant, the momentum of China's foreign growth will remain weak as the year draws to a close.

An annual foreign trade growth target of 10 percent was set earlier this year but the chances of hitting that figure are "hopeless", said the source on condition of anonymity.