Steady expansion expected this year as exports, imports both gain ground

China’s foreign trade is on track to maintain steady growth this year, supported by continued export upgrading toward high-tech, green, and higher-value products, with expanding domestic demand creating more opportunities for foreign businesses, government officials and company executives said.

As this growth comes amid a challenging global trade environment, it reflects the ability of Chinese businesses to adapt to external pressures and maintain competitiveness in international markets, they added.

Data released on Aug 7 by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed that China’s foreign trade rose 17.3 percent year-on-year to 30.13 trillion yuan ($4.5 trillion) in the first seven months of 2026.

Exports rose 14 percent year-on-year to 17.44 trillion yuan during the period, while imports surged 22 percent to 12.69 trillion yuan.

Lynn Song, chief economist for China at Dutch bank ING, said that strong import growth underscores China’s role as a major global market, with businesses worldwide benefiting from demand for advanced technologies, key components, and high-quality products.

Lyu Daliang, director of the GAC’s department of statistics and analysis, said that China’s trade with more than 180 countries and regions continued to grow during the January to July period, reflecting more diversified trade ties and stronger links with global markets.

Ye Dingda, vice-president of the China Machinery Industry Federation, noted that China’s foreign trade is evolving beyond scale expansion, with new growth increasingly coming from technology-intensive products, green industries, and higher-value exports.

For example, the exports of mechanical and electrical products, such as electric vehicles, 3D printers, industrial robots and wind turbines, increased 21.2 percent year-on-year to 11.12 trillion yuan in the seven months to July, accounting for 63.8 percent of China’s total exports, up 3.8 percentage points from the same period last year.

Wen Bin, chief economist at China Minsheng Bank, noted that Chinese-made products provide consumers in various countries with more choices, lower consumption costs, and a buffer against inflationary risks.

Global investment in artificial intelligence supply chains and stronger competitiveness in new energy products will continue to support China’s export growth in the coming months, Wen said.

Addressing concerns over the “China Shock 2.0”, a narrative that argues the nation’s industrial growth could disrupt the global economy, He Shaojun, deputy director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade at the Ministry of Commerce, said Chinese production equipment and intermediate products exports have strongly supported the industrialization of trading partners.

China supplies over 80 percent of the world’s photovoltaic modules and 70 percent of global wind power equipment, supporting the green transition of trading partners, as per information released recently by the Commerce Ministry.

Foreign-invested firms are responsible for 16 percent of China’s trade surplus while generating significant returns from their operations in the country, said the ministry.

Latest customs data showed that foreign-invested companies in China recorded 8.78 trillion yuan in imports and exports between January and July, an increase of 17.6 percent year-on-year.

Leser GmbH & Co KG, a German manufacturer of industrial safety valves, sees its manufacturing base in North China’s Tianjin municipality as one of its most important innovation and export hubs.

Georg Leser, the company’s sixth-generation successor, noted that China remains a key market for its safety valves used in manufacturing, clean energy, and advanced shipbuilding, while Southeast Asia represents a fresh growth opportunity.

Beyond manufacturing, global service providers are also expanding their presence in China to support the country’s evolving trade flows and sophisticated supply chains.

On Aug 4, US-based logistics firm Federal Express Corp announced the launch of a nonstop freighter service between Guangzhou, South China’s Guangdong province, and Sydney in Australia, with the route operating five times a week.

“As China’s trade landscape continues to evolve, speed, reliability, and resilience are becoming increasingly critical for both exporters and importers,” said Poh-Yian Koh, president of FedEx China.

Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn