China posts record $1.2 trillion trade surplus as exports soar in 2025
China posts record $1.2 trillion trade surplus as exports soar in 2025
China's exports rose 5.5% to $3.77 trillion in 2025, driving a near-record trade surplus and signaling exports as a key growth engine for 2026.
China’s trade surplus surged to a record of almost $1.2 trillion in 2025, supported by a 5.5% rise in exports to $3.77 trillion and imports steady at about $2.58 trillion. The 2024 surplus stood at $992 billion, underscoring how external demand helped sustain growth as shipments to the United States cooled.
The momentum carried into December, when exports climbed 6.6% year-on-year and imports rose 5.7%, helping to push the annual surplus past the trillion-dollar mark for the first time in November, and to $1.08 trillion in the first 11 months of last year.
Analysts caution that while exports can be a powerful growth driver in 2026, the external trade environment remains “severe and complex.” We continue to expect exports to act as a big growth driver in 2026, said a leading analyst, as global demand for electronics and other goods remains robust.
Despite ongoing frictions with the United States, shipments to South America, Southeast Asia, Africa and Europe have offset declines in the US market. Strong global demand for computer chips and related devices, plus essential materials, helped buoy China’s exports and keep the economy growing near the official 5% target.
The record surplus has raised concerns in some quarters about the impact of cheaper imports on domestic industries, even as officials stress resilience in the export sector. Experts note the external environment in 2026 will be challenging, with external policy dynamics continuing to influence China’s trade outlook.
