China’s foreign trade rises 18.3% in early 2026

China’s foreign trade increased by 18.3 percent in the first two months of 2026, signaling a strong start to the year, according to data released Tuesday by the General Administration of Customs.

Total trade in goods reached 7.73 trillion yuan (about US$1.12 trillion).

Exports climbed 19.2 percent year-on-year to 4.62 trillion yuan, while imports rose 17.1 percent to 3.11 trillion yuan.

Trade with major partners continued to grow. Commerce with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) rose 20.3 percent to 1.24 trillion yuan, while trade with the European Union increased 19.9 percent to nearly 999 billion yuan. Trade with the United States, however, declined 16.9 percent to 609.7 billion yuan.

Trade with Belt and Road partner countries also expanded, rising 20 percent to 4.02 trillion yuan.

Private enterprises remained the main driver of growth, recording 4.51 trillion yuan in trade—up 22.8 percent year-on-year. Foreign-invested firms logged 2.2 trillion yuan, while state-owned enterprises reported 1 trillion yuan.