China's exports surged 25% in August from a year earlier, reaching approximately market expectations, customs data from Beijing showed. Imports rose 28.2%, slightly below analysts' projections, leaving the world's second-largest economy with a trade surplus of roughly $119.1 billion.
The surplus was propelled by automobile exports and booming artificial intelligence-related trade. If the pace holds, China is on track to approach the $1.2 trillion trade surplus recorded last year — a record high.
Trade imbalances remain a flashpoint. Both the EU and the US have criticized the asymmetry, and bilateral figures with Germany underscore the trend: Chinese exports to Germany grew 9.8% in August compared with a year earlier, while Chinese imports from Germany fell 9.7%.
The trade data were released weeks ahead of a planned meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Washington. Trump had invited Xi to the White House during his May visit to Beijing, targeting September 24 as the date. The two nations' trade dispute is expected to be a central issue at the talks.
Analysts watch the data closely as global demand patterns shift and tariff pressures mount. The sustained export growth signals resilience in China's manufacturing sector, even as import momentum suggests steady domestic demand.
The August figures add to a picture of an economy that continues to lean heavily on goods exports to sustain growth, even as it faces growing scrutiny from major trading partners over the scale of its surpluses.
