Feb. 3 (Bloomberg) -- China’s imports may have jumped in January by the most since at least 1991, strengthening Asia’s economic recovery, according to China International Capital Corp.

Imports doubled from a year earlier, Beijing-based economist Xing Ziqiangestimated in a report today. That would be the biggest gain since Bloomberg News data started. Exports may have climbed 30 percent, Xing said.

Rising commodity prices and strong demand within the world’s third-biggest economy helped to drive the increase, Xing said in an interview. China’s trade numbers are subject to distortions in the first two months of each year because of a Lunar New Year holiday and will benefit in 2010 from comparisons with low levels in 2009.

“This is very important for regional growth,” said Xing. “It reflects very strong domestic consumption of durable goods like autos as China imports lots of parts from Japan, Korea and Taiwan.”

In January last year, imports slid 43 percent. China is due to release its latest trade figures on Feb. 10.

A 4 trillion yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package and record lending last year fueled economic growth of 10.7 percent in the fourth quarter, the fastest pace in two years. China has supplanted the U.S. as the world’s largest auto market for new sales and Germany as the biggest exporting nation.