In a major milestone, the Chinese mainland's goods trade surplus with the world soared past $1 trillion in the first 11 months of 2025 💥. Despite almost a year of tariff talks with the U.S., exports stayed strong and imports kept growing too.
Data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) shows total merchandise trade rose 3.6% year-on-year to 41.21 trillion yuan ($5.83 trillion).
ASEAN remained the Chinese mainland's top trading partner, with bilateral trade jumping 8.5% year-on-year to 6.82 trillion yuan (16.6% of the total). The EU followed at 5.37 trillion yuan (+5.4%), while trade with the U.S. dipped 16.9% to 3.69 trillion yuan.
Experts say these numbers highlight the resilience of the Chinese mainland's trade sector.
Diversified Exports Power Growth
Zhang Monan of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges notes that the Chinese mainland ranks at or near the top in 504 industrial products worldwide. A complete industrial structure and supply chain system are pillars of its trade resilience 🛠️.
Morgan Stanley economists predict that by 2030, the Chinese mainland's share of global goods exports will climb from about 15% to 16.5%, driven by advanced manufacturing.
After years of global trade protectionism, emerging markets in ASEAN and the EU have become key engines of growth, further strengthening trade diversification.
AI and Tech Fuel Export Boom
AI investment surged globally this year, and the Chinese mainland's manufacturing upgrades paid off, boosting chip and new energy vehicle exports. In the first 11 months, integrated circuits exports jumped 25.6% to 1.29 trillion yuan, while automobile exports rose 17.6% to 896.91 billion yuan 🚗🔋.
On the import side, falling prices for crude oil, coal and other commodities helped keep costs down even as volumes increased. Iron ore imports rose 1.4% to 1.139 billion tonnes, with the average price down 9.4%, inadvertently widening the surplus.
Overall, the Chinese mainland's trade picture in 2025 shows resilience and adaptability, with diverse markets and tech-driven products reshaping global trade 🌏✨.
Reference(s):
China's $1 trln+ trade surplus: Diversified exports, expanding imports
cgtn.com
