China ends 2025 with record $1.2 trillion trade surplus, up 20% despite Trump tariffs
China ended 2025 with a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus, up 20% from last year, as exports surged despite Trump-era U.S. tariffs.
China recorded a record $1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025, a 20% increase from the previous year, as its exports expanded despite rising U.S. tariffs, the country’s General Administration of Customs said on Wednesday. Total foreign trade in goods reached $6.48 trillion, marking nine consecutive years of growth.
High-tech exports, including industrial robots and advanced machine tools, grew 13% year-on-year, while shipments of electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar panels rose 27%, officials said. The gains reflect China’s growing ability to diversify markets amid geopolitical tensions.
Chinese authorities emphasized that trade resilience demonstrated the country’s economic strength despite declining exports to the United States, which fell 16.9% in the first 11 months of 2025. Beijing also highlighted progress in trade talks with the U.S., culminating in a truce to reduce tariffs to 20% after earlier peaks of 145%.
Analysts say China’s export growth was fueled by expanding markets in Europe, Southeast Asia, and Africa, as Chinese companies sought to offset the impact of U.S. tariffs and strengthen the country’s global supply chains.
Some trading partners have raised concerns over Chinese industrial overcapacity and what they perceive as unfair trade practices, warning that domestic industries could face long-term pressure from cheap imports.
China’s trade performance has bolstered confidence in its economic policies, but experts note that reliance on exports masks underlying domestic challenges, including a persistent property sector crisis and weak consumer demand.
Authorities continue efforts to stimulate domestic consumption and rebalance the economy, while exporters prepare for further frictions with the U.S. as Washington seeks to reduce dependence on Chinese goods and revive American manufacturing.
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