China Foreign Trade Hits Record Highs in H1 2026

China’s foreign trade surged to unprecedented levels in the first half of 2026, with total goods trade reaching 25.47 trillion yuan (approximately $3.5 trillion USD), a year-on-year increase of 16.9%, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on July 14. Multiple regions across the country — including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yellow River Basin, and Northeast China — all reported record-high trade volumes for the period, underscoring the resilience of the world’s largest trading nation amid global economic headwinds.

National Trade Performance

The H1 2026 figures mark the first time China’s half-year trade has broken the 25 trillion yuan threshold, with exports reaching 14.73 trillion yuan (up 13.4%) and imports totaling 10.74 trillion yuan (up 22.1%). As China Youth Daily reported, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs Wang Jun described the performance as demonstrating “strong growth momentum and stable performance” at a State Council Information Office press conference.

Second-quarter trade reached 13.61 trillion yuan, growing 18.4% year-on-year — the fastest quarterly growth since Q3 2021. June alone saw trade hit 4.78 trillion yuan, up 24.2% and marking the 17th consecutive month of growth. Notably, import growth outpaced exports by 8.7 percentage points, narrowing the trade surplus by 4.7% and signaling a move toward more balanced trade.

Regional Highlights

Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei

The Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region posted H1 trade of 2.58 trillion yuan, up 16.2% year-on-year, accounting for 10.1% of the national total. As China News reported, June exports alone reached 140.13 billion yuan — the first time monthly exports exceeded 140 billion yuan. Beijing dominated the regional total with 1.78 trillion yuan (69.3%), while Hebei posted the strongest growth at 33.2%. Private enterprises in the region grew 21.9%, outpacing the national private sector average by 4.9 percentage points.

Yellow River Basin

The nine provinces and regions of the Yellow River Basin recorded H1 trade of 3.6 trillion yuan, up 14.7% and a record for the period, according to China.com. Four provinces posted growth exceeding 20%: Shaanxi (+93.7%), Inner Mongolia (+29.3%), Henan (+26%), and Ningxia (+25.4%). Asia remained the basin’s largest trade partner, accounting for 52.1% of total trade.

Northeast China

Northeast China’s H1 trade reached 656.3 billion yuan, up 8.6% and also a record high. Exports grew faster than imports, led by mechanical and electrical products (up 18%, representing 48.3% of exports) and agricultural products (up 12.9%, representing 8.7% of exports).

Greater Bay Area

The Greater Bay Area’s nine mainland cities posted the strongest performance among major regions, with H1 trade reaching 5.3 trillion yuan — up 20.9%, or 4 percentage points above the national average. As CCTV News reported, June marked the first time monthly trade in the region exceeded 1 trillion yuan, hitting 1.02 trillion yuan (up 31.1%). Private enterprises drove 83.1% of the region’s growth, contributing 3.57 trillion yuan.

Structural Transformation Underway

China’s trade data reveals a significant shift toward higher-value manufacturing. High-tech exports reached 3.26 trillion yuan, surging 39% year-on-year. Mechanical and electrical products accounted for 63.5% of total exports, up 3.5 percentage points from a year earlier. The “New Three” products — lithium batteries, photovoltaics, and electric vehicles — saw exports of 119.19 billion yuan, up 37.2%. AI-integrated bionic robots were exported to over 90 countries and regions.

Private enterprises continued to gain prominence, with over 660,000 firms engaged in import-export activity. As Xinhua reported via China News, private companies now account for 57% of total trade, contributing nearly 60% of the national trade growth.

Market Diversification Pays Off

While trade with the United States declined 3.6%, China’s diversified trade strategy has more than compensated. ASEAN remained China’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade growing 18.2%. Trade with Belt and Road countries reached 12.97 trillion yuan, accounting for 50.9% of total trade. A zero-tariff policy on 53 African countries, implemented from May 1, has already yielded results, with imports of African specialty fruits surging — avocado imports rose 1.3-fold and orange imports grew 89.6%.

Outlook and Challenges

Despite the strong performance, Vice Minister Wang Jun cautioned that the second half of the year will face headwinds. The IMF projects global trade growth will slow from 5% in 2025 to 3.5% in 2026, while the World Bank has warned of rising energy prices and inflationary pressures. However, Wang expressed confidence, stating: “Our innovation momentum is strong, our market entities are vibrant, and our level of openness is high. The fundamentals of foreign trade remain solid.”

As China’s trade data continues to demonstrate robust growth driven by structural upgrading, market diversification, and private sector vitality, the key question for H2 2026 will be whether this momentum can be sustained against a backdrop of global economic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions.