Chinese officials unveiled remarkable 2025 trade figures on Wednesday, reporting a record surplus of $1.19 trillion—the largest ever globally.
This topped the 2024 high of $993 billion, with monthly surpluses exceeding $100 billion seven times despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff measures. Exports rose 5.5% to $3.77 trillion, while imports increased by just 0.5%.
U.S. shipments dropped sharply from tariffs, but China offset this with booming trade to South East Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe. Wang Jun, deputy director of China’s customs, termed the outcome “extraordinary and hard-won” at a press briefing, citing gains in green technologies, AI products, and robotics. Domestic issues like a property crisis and rising debt curbed imports by stifling investment and spending.
A weaker yuan and Western inflation enhanced Chinese goods’ appeal abroad. Trade expert Deborah Elms of the Hinrich Foundation called it a “mixed blessing,” boosting jobs yet risking foreign backlash over cheap imports. She expects sustained growth in 2026 as China embeds deeper in global supply chains. Wang highlighted an “uncertain external environment” amid complaints of market flooding.
Trump’s April 2025 tariffs hit over 90 countries hardest on China, sparking threats of steeper levies. A key October summit with Xi Jinping in South Korea paused escalation, though milder duties persist and curb U.S. exports. Businesses brace for further tensions.