News Desk
Published: September 08, 2026 at 7:13a.m. EDT — China’s exports jumped 25 per cent in August from a year earlier on strong demand for autos and high-tech goods as its record trade surplus widened further. The data was broadly in line with what economists had expected.
Trade is expected to be among the key topics of discussion between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping during their planned meeting in late September. China’s global imports climbed 28.2 per cent in August from a year earlier, up from July’s 27.5 per cent rise.
Exports grew 23.9 per cent year-on-year in July. The trade surplus expanded in August to $119.1 billion from $112.5 billion in July. Exports to the U.S. totaled $42.5 billion, up 34.4 per cent year-on-year, partly due to a base effect after higher U.S. tariffs caused exports to fall last year.
U.S. exports to China last month were $13.3 billion, leaving a trade surplus of $29.2 billion. Exports to the EU rose 6.6 per cent, while those to Southeast Asia and Latin America rose 30.2 per cent and 17.5 per cent, respectively. Exports of autos grew 43 per cent year-on-year, and semiconductor exports surged 129.8 per cent.
China’s tech exports are seen as competitive, with growth driven by electric vehicles, industrial machinery, and semiconductors. The country has also expanded exports to Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, shielding it from U.S. tariffs. Policymakers in the U.S. and other nations have raised concerns over China’s trade surplus, which reached a record $1.2 trillion in 2025.
China has injected $54 billion into state banks and insurers to boost its economy, though domestic consumption and investment remain sluggish due to a prolonged real estate downturn. The U.S. and China remain in a strategic stalemate over high-end tech exports and rare-earth minerals. The EU is also negotiating trade talks with China to reduce its trade deficit, which stands at around 1 billion euros daily.
China’s export-driven growth strategy has led 19 G20 members to agree on addressing economic imbalances.
Source: BNN Bloomberg
