China’s Foreign Trade Surges 17.6% in First Eight Months of 2026

BEIJING, September 8, 2026 — China’s foreign trade continued to expand at a strong pace in the first eight months of 2026, supported by the resilience of its comprehensive industrial system and continued advances in technological innovation.

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China (GAC) on September 8, China’s total goods trade reached 34.78 trillion yuan from January to August, representing a 17.6% year-on-year increase.

In August alone, China’s total imports and exports increased 19.8% year on year, while exports and imports rose 18.6% and 21.7%, respectively. Import growth has now exceeded export growth for six consecutive months, indicating stronger domestic demand for overseas products and resources.

Imports and Exports Maintain Strong Momentum

Lü Daliang, director of the GAC’s Department of Statistics and Analysis, said China’s foreign trade maintained stable growth in August.

In terms of scale, monthly imports and exports remained above 4.5 trillion yuan for three consecutive months. In terms of growth, both exports and imports recorded double-digit year-on-year growth for the fourth consecutive month.

The performance, Lü said, demonstrates the strong support provided by China’s complete industrial system and the growing contribution of technological innovation to foreign trade.

From January to August, China’s exports totaled 20.17 trillion yuan, up 14.6% year on year, while imports reached 14.61 trillion yuan, increasing 22%.

Machinery and High-Tech Products Drive Export Growth

Manufactured and technology-intensive products continued to play a major role in China’s export performance.

Exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 12.91 trillion yuan during the first eight months, representing a 21.9% increase and accounting for 64% of China’s total exports.

The category includes a wide range of products such as automobiles, industrial robots, ships and lithium-ion batteries. Exports of mechanical and electrical products have maintained year-on-year growth for 18 consecutive months.

On the import side, imports of mechanical and electrical products increased 31.6%, while agricultural product imports rose 6.6%.

The continued expansion of machinery and high-value-added products highlights the increasing role of advanced manufacturing, industrial technology and innovation-driven industries in China’s international trade.

Private Enterprises Remain the Largest Foreign Trade Group

Private companies continued to be the largest contributor to China’s foreign trade.

During the first eight months, China’s private enterprises recorded 19.79 trillion yuan in imports and exports, up 17.6% year on year and accounting for 56.9% of the country’s total foreign trade.

Foreign-invested enterprises also maintained strong momentum, with total imports and exports reaching 10.15 trillion yuan, an increase of 18.1%.

Lü noted that China’s continued commitment to opening up and international cooperation is encouraging more foreign-invested companies to become deeply integrated into China’s industrial and innovation chains.

Nearly 80,000 foreign-invested enterprises had registered import and export activity during the first eight months of the year, with their trade growth continuing to lead among different types of business entities.

ASEAN Remains China’s Largest Trading Partner

China also recorded broader trade growth across major international markets.

From January to August, China achieved simultaneous growth in both exports and imports with 112 countries and regions, 17 more than during the same period last year.

ASEAN remained China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade increasing 20.6% year on year.

Trade with Latin America and Africa also expanded rapidly, rising 14.5% and 18.5%, respectively. Meanwhile, China’s imports and exports with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative increased 15.9% year on year.

The broad-based expansion across different regions suggests that China’s foreign trade is becoming increasingly diversified, with emerging markets playing a growing role in supporting trade growth.

China-U.S. Trade Returns to Growth

China’s trade with the United States also recorded growth for the fifth consecutive month as of August.

During the first eight months of 2026, China’s total imports and exports with the United States reached 2.76 trillion yuan, representing a 1.3% year-on-year increase.

Although the growth rate was considerably lower than China’s overall foreign trade growth, the return to positive growth reflects continued economic and commercial links between the two countries.

Resilient Manufacturing Supports Global Supply Chains

The latest trade figures point to several important trends in China’s foreign trade: strong overall growth, rising imports, sustained demand for machinery and technology-intensive products, and continued diversification of trading partners.

The strong performance of mechanical and electrical exports is particularly significant for global manufacturing supply chains. As Chinese manufacturers continue to upgrade production capabilities and invest in technological innovation, products ranging from automobiles and industrial robots to ships, batteries and industrial components are becoming increasingly important in international markets.

For global buyers, the growth of China’s manufacturing exports also underscores the country’s continued role as a major sourcing base for industrial equipment, components, machinery, hardware and customized manufacturing products.

With both imports and exports maintaining double-digit growth, China’s foreign trade is showing considerable resilience despite a complex and changing global economic environment.