Cargo ships handle foreign trade containers at Qingdao Port in East China's Shandong Province on June 20, 2025. Photo: VCG

China's imports and exports of goods have continued to grow since the beginning of this year, despite a rapidly changing trade environment and a marked increase in instability and uncertainty, demonstrating strong resilience and vitality, Fu Linghui, spokesperson of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said on Friday.

Although exports to the US have declined due to high tariffs, China remains committed to expanding high-level opening-up and promoting trade with countries around the world on a basis of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, Fu said.

The remarks were made in response to a foreign media inquiry about China and the US agreeing to extend the tariff truce by 90 days, and on how this will affect China's export performance over the remaining months of the year, whether the front-loading effects seen earlier might weaken performance in the second half, and what the sources of export growth will be in the months ahead.

In July, China's total imports and exports of goods rose 6.7 percent year on year, accelerating by 1.5 percentage points from the previous month. Exports of goods increased by 8 percent year on year, up 0.8 percentage points from June, marking two consecutive months of faster growth, which helps expand global market demand and injects Chinese momentum into the world economic recovery, according to the NBS.

While exports grew at a relatively rapid pace, imports have also been gradually recovering. In July, imports of goods rose 4.8 percent year-on-year, accelerating 2.4 percentage points month-on-month, marking two consecutive months of rebound. Fu said that this supports the expansion of global market demand and injects Chinese momentum into the world economic recovery.

Looking at the situation in the second half of the year, China's export growth continues to benefit from several favorable factors.

One highlight is that trade diversification continues to yield results despite falling exports to the US, with China's exports from January to July rising 14.8 percent to ASEAN, 8.2 percent to the EU, and 11.7 percent to countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative.

The competitiveness of China's export products is also increasing, with Chinese enterprises enhancing independent research and development, accelerating transformation, optimizing product structures, and increasing technological content, which strengthens international competitiveness and supports export growth, said the NBS official.

From January to July, exports of mechanical and electrical products rose 9.3 percent year on year, with integrated circuits up 21.8 percent. Exports of high-tech products also performed well, increasing 7.2 percent over the same period.

A press conference is held by the State Council Information Office on August 15, 2025. Photo: Chi Jingyi/GT

Since the beginning of this year, in the face of external market fluctuations and with the support of various measures to promote private enterprise development, foreign trade enterprises, especially private companies, have acted proactively to consolidate and expand markets, providing strong support for the development of foreign trade, said Fu.

From January to July, exports by China's private enterprises rose 8.7 percent year on year, faster than the overall growth of goods exports, according to the NBS.

Moreover, regions and departments across the country continue to strengthen efforts to stabilize foreign trade and promote its high-quality development, helping foreign trade enterprises maintain orders and expand markets, with the effects of these policies expected to continue, said Fu.

Although global economic growth remains weak and external instability and uncertainties are considerable, bringing some pressure to China's foreign trade development and increasing operational difficulties for certain foreign trade enterprises, China's commitment to high-level opening-up remains unchanged, the official said.

Global Times