China Records USD 1.19 Trillion Trade Surplus in 2025
- brg_news_room
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
China: China reported a record full-year USD 1.19 Trillion Trade Surplus in 2025, breaking the trillion-dollar mark for the first time in November, according to customs data. The strong export performance comes as Chinese producers brace for three more years of a Donald Trump administration focused on slowing China’s manufacturing strength by diverting U.S. orders to other markets. Despite renewed tariff pressures, China has shown resilience, with firms increasingly shifting exports toward south-east Asia, Africa and Latin America to offset U.S. duties. Beijing continues to rely on exports to counter a prolonged property sector slump and weak domestic demand, even as the scale of the surplus raises concerns among other economies about overcapacity, trade practices and reliance on Chinese goods.
Outbound shipments grew 6.6% year-on-year in December, accelerating from 5.9% in November and exceeding expectations of 3.0%, while imports rose 5.7%, up from 1.9% a month earlier and well above the forecast 0.9% increase. China recorded monthly trade surpluses above 100 billion USD seven times during the year, compared with just once in 2024, partly supported by a weaker yuan. Export momentum was also reflected in the automotive sector, where vehicle exports jumped 19.4% to 5.79 million units, including a 48.8% rise in pure electric vehicle shipments, likely keeping China as the world’s largest auto exporter for a third consecutive year. While officials stressed that diversified trading partners have strengthened China’s ability to withstand risks, Beijing has also signaled a need for balance, with calls to expand imports, the removal of export tax rebates for solar products, and faster revisions to foreign trade law, even as U.S. tariffs of 47.5% on Chinese goods remain well above the roughly 35% level seen as profitable for exporters.
Source: The Guardian
