{"id":694743,"date":"2026-01-14T05:50:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T05:50:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/694743\/"},"modified":"2026-01-14T05:50:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T05:50:09","slug":"chinas-trade-ends-2025-with-record-1-2-trillion-surplus-despite-trump-tariff-jolt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/694743\/","title":{"rendered":"China&#8217;s trade ends 2025 with record $1.2 trillion surplus despite Trump tariff jolt"},"content":{"rendered":"<ul data-testid=\"Summary\" class=\"summary-module__summary__QjADA\">\n<li data-testid=\"Body\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf summary-module__point__UgXPz\">China posts record $1.189 trillion trade surplus in 2025<\/li>\n<li data-testid=\"Body\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf summary-module__point__UgXPz\">China&#8217;s December dollar exports up 6.6% Y\/Y, imports up 5.7%; beat forecasts<\/li>\n<li data-testid=\"Body\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf summary-module__point__UgXPz\">Strong exports come despite Trump&#8217;s tariffs as China scales up new markets<\/li>\n<li data-testid=\"Body\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf summary-module__point__UgXPz\">China&#8217;s ability to weather risks has been &#8216;significantly enhanced&#8217;, says official<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>BEIJING, Jan 14 (Reuters) &#8211; China on Wednesday reported a strong export run in 2025 with a record surplus of nearly $1.2 trillion, as producers braced for three more years of a Trump \u200cadministration set on slowing the production powerhouse by shifting U.S. orders to other markets.<\/p>\n<p>Beijing&#8217;s resilience to renewed <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/tariffs\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">tariff tensions<\/a> since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last January has emboldened Chinese firms to shift their focus to Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America to offset U.S. duties.<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"promo-box\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body-module__promo-box__hVl8h\"> Sign up  <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/china\/chinas-trade-ends-2025-with-record-trillion-dollar-surplus-despite-trump-tariffs-2026-01-14\/undefined?location=article-paragraph&amp;redirectUrl=%2Fworld%2Fchina%2Fchinas-trade-ends-2025-with-record-trillion-dollar-surplus-despite-trump-tariffs-2026-01-14%2F\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>With Beijing looking to exports to counteract a prolonged property slump and sluggish domestic demand, the record-shattering surplus risks further unsettling economies concerned about China&#8217;s trade practices and overcapacity, as well as their overreliance on key Chinese products.<\/p>\n<p>The manufacturing powerhouse&#8217;s full-year trade surplus came in at $1.189 trillion &#8211; a figure on par with the GDP of a top-20 economy globally like Saudi Arabia &#8211; \u200ccustoms data showed on Wednesday, having <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/chinas-november-exports-top-expectations-imports-underperform-2025-12-08\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">broken<\/a> the trillion-dollar ceiling for the first time in November.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;The momentum for global trade growth looks to be insufficient, and \u200bthe external environment for China&#8217;s foreign trade development remains severe and complex,&#8221; Wang Jun, a vice minister at China&#8217;s customs administration, said at a press briefing on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<p>However, &#8220;with more diversified trading partners, (China&#8217;s) ability to withstand risks has been significantly enhanced,&#8221; Wang said, adding that &#8220;the fundamentals for China&#8217;s foreign trade remains solid.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Outbound shipments from the world&#8217;s second-biggest economy grew 6.6% in value terms year-on-year in December, compared with a \u200d5.9% increase in November. Economists polled by Reuters had expected a 3.0% increase.<\/p>\n<p>Imports were up 5.7%, after a 1.9% bump the month earlier and also beat a forecast for a 0.9% uptick.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Strong export growth helps to mitigate the weak domestic demand,&#8221; said Zhiwei Zhang, chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Combined with the booming stock market and stable U.S.-China relations, the government is likely to keep the macro policy stance unchanged at least in Q1.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>EXPORTS UP AS CHINA \u2060SET TO GAIN MORE GLOBAL SHAREChina&#8217;s yuan , held steady following the upbeat data even as equity investors welcomed the forecast-beating numbers. The benchmark Shanghai Composite index <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/quote\/.SSEC\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(.SSEC), opens new tab<\/a> and blue-chip CSI300 index <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/quote\/.CSI300\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">(.CSI300), opens new tab<\/a> both rose more \u200dthan 1% in morning deals.The Asian economic juggernaut&#8217;s monthly trade surpluses exceeded $100 billion seven times last year, partially underpinned by a <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/markets\/currencies\/chinas-yuan-hits-2023-lows-signs-pboc-is-tolerant-some-weakness-2025-04-08\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">weakened yuan<\/a>, up from just once in 2024, underscoring that Trump&#8217;s actions have barely dented China&#8217;s broader \u200ctrade with the \u200cwider world even if he has curbed U.S.-bound shipments.<\/p>\n<p>Exports to the U.S. slumped 20% in dollar terms in 2025, while imports from the world&#8217;s top economy were down 14.6%. Chinese factories managed to make inroads in other markets, with exports to Africa jumping 25.8% and those to the ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations up 13.4%. EU-bound shipments grew 8.4%.<\/p>\n<p>Trump on Tuesday <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/us\/trump-says-he-thinks-china-can-open-its-markets-us-goods-2026-01-14\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">said<\/a> he thinks China can open its markets to American goods, after threatening a day earlier to slap a 25% tariff on countries that trade with Iran, <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/china\/trumps-iran-tariff-threat-risks-reopening-china-rift-2026-01-13\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">risking reopening old wounds<\/a> with Beijing, Tehran&#8217;s biggest trading partner.<\/p>\n<p>Economists expect China to continue gaining global market share \u2060this year, helped by Chinese firms setting up \u2060overseas production hubs that provide lower-tariff access to \u200bthe United States and the European Union, as well as by strong demand for lower-grade chips and other electronics.<\/p>\n<p>A flagship of Beijing&#8217;s global industrial ambitions, China&#8217;s auto industry saw <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/autos-transportation\/chinas-december-car-sales-post-biggest-fall-nearly-2-years-2026-01-09\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">overall exports jump<\/a> 19.4% to 5.79 million vehicles last year, with pure EV shipments up 48.8%. China would likely remain the world&#8217;s top auto exporter for a third year after first superseding Japan in 2023.<\/p>\n<p>Beijing, however, has shown signs of recognising it must moderate its industrial \u200dexports if it is to sustain its success, and the leadership has been increasingly cognizant and vocal about imbalances in China&#8217;s economy and the image problem outsized exports are causing.<\/p>\n<p>After November&#8217;s trillion-dollar surplus data, Chinese Premier Li Qiang was quoted last week on national television as <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/asia-pacific\/chinas-premier-calls-balanced-trade-tech-breakthroughs-2026-01-05\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">calling for<\/a> &#8220;proactively expanding imports and promoting the balanced development of imports and exports.&#8221;The country also <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/sustainability\/climate-energy\/china-scrap-export-tax-rebates-photovoltaic-battery-products-2026-01-09\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">scrapped<\/a> subsidy-like export tax rebates for its solar industry, a long-standing <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/business\/energy\/with-solar-industry-crisis-europe-bind-over-chinese-imports-2024-02-06\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">point of friction<\/a> with EU states.Lawmakers last month passed revisions to \u200bthe <a data-testid=\"Link\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/world\/china\/china-passes-revised-foreign-trade-law-bolster-trade-war-capabilities-2025-12-27\/\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__inherit-color__PhuPF text-module__inherit-font__1P1hv text-module__inherit-size__EyiQW link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Foreign Trade Law<\/a> after two, rather than the usual three readings, in a signal to members of a major trans-Pacific \u200dtrade pact that China is prepared to shift from industrial subsidies and towards freer, more open trade.<\/p>\n<p>Despite the year-long truce on tariffs that Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping struck in late October, U.S. duties of 47.5% on Chinese goods are well \u200babove the roughly 35% level analysts say enables Chinese firms to export to the U.S. at a profit.<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"SignOff\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__extra_small__8Buss body-module__full_width__kCIGb body-module__extra_small_body__Bfz20 sign-off-module__text__LQAMP\">Reporting by Xiuhao Chen and Joe Cash; Additional reporting by Winni Zhou in Shanghai<br \/>\nEditing by Shri Navaratnam<\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"Body\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__small__sph8i body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__small_body__gOmDf article-body-module__element__5eCce article-body-module__trust-badge__5mS3f\">Our Standards: <a data-testid=\"Link\" target=\"_blank\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thomsonreuters.com\/en\/about-us\/trust-principles.html\" rel=\"noopener\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__medium__2Rl30 text-module__small__sph8i link-module__link__INqxZ link-module__underline_default__-okuC link-module__with-icon__qlg76\">The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reutersagency.com\/en\/licensereuterscontent\/?utm_medium=rcom-article-media&amp;utm_campaign=rcom-rcp-lead\" target=\"_blank\" dir=\"ltr\" class=\"button-module__link__A3sD0 button-module__secondary__70gBu button-module__round__QDFgq button-module__w_auto__Sem-F\" data-testid=\"LicenceContentButton\" rel=\"noopener\">Purchase Licensing Rights<\/a><a data-testid=\"AuthorBioImageLink\" class=\"author-bio-module__author-image__jcaG3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.reuters.com\/authors\/joe-cash\/\" referrerpolicy=\"no-referrer-when-downgrade\" tabindex=\"-1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><\/a><\/p>\n<p data-testid=\"Body\" class=\"text-module__text__0GDob text-module__dark-grey__UFC18 text-module__regular__qJJtA text-module__extra_small__8Buss body-module__base__o--Cl body-module__extra_small_body__Bfz20 author-bio-module__description__9ynkB\">Joe Cash reports on China\u2019s economic affairs, covering domestic fiscal and monetary policy, key economic indicators, trade relations, and China\u2019s growing engagement with developing countries. Before joining Reuters, he worked on UK and EU trade policy across the Asia-Pacific region. Joe studied Chinese at the University of Oxford and is a Mandarin speaker.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"China posts record $1.189 trillion trade surplus in 2025 China&#8217;s December dollar exports up 6.6% Y\/Y, imports up&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":694744,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3090],"tags":[124884,521,124888,51,84737,10326,168721,201812,168727,202337,201806,201816,168730,168724,205693,168731,201809,201814,202338,201807,202336,202340,202339,201822,202341,202126,201821,168735,201810,168728,168722,168734,201808,168723,201815,201813,201818,201819,202335,168729,168732,201811,201804,202989,84738,1700,205692,124890,2000,124880,39410,209646,124881,84740,202119,124887,84742,168737,202987,124882,67726,207217,201792,84729,209647,204963,207224,16,15,978,124883],"class_list":{"0":"post-694743","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-economy","8":"tag-amers","9":"tag-asia","10":"tag-asxpac","11":"tag-business","12":"tag-cmpny","13":"tag-cn","14":"tag-destabx","15":"tag-destafa","16":"tag-destbnx","17":"tag-destc","18":"tag-destcsa","19":"tag-destd","20":"tag-destdnp","21":"tag-deste","22":"tag-destef-markets-macromatters","23":"tag-destfun","24":"tag-destg","25":"tag-destgns","26":"tag-destgro","27":"tag-destlby","28":"tag-destm","29":"tag-destmtl","30":"tag-desto","31":"tag-destocabsm","32":"tag-destoil","33":"tag-destortao","34":"tag-destousbsm","35":"tag-destoustpm","36":"tag-destpge","37":"tag-destpsc","38":"tag-destrast","39":"tag-destrbn","40":"tag-destreulb","41":"tag-destrnp","42":"tag-destrws","43":"tag-destrwsa","44":"tag-destseabs","45":"tag-destseatp","46":"tag-destsof","47":"tag-destu","48":"tag-destucdptest","49":"tag-destz","50":"tag-easia","51":"tag-eci","52":"tag-eco","53":"tag-economy","54":"tag-efmarkets-macromatters","55":"tag-emrg","56":"tag-eu","57":"tag-gen","58":"tag-hk","59":"tag-ilei","60":"tag-intag","61":"tag-mce","62":"tag-mtpix","63":"tag-namer","64":"tag-news1","65":"tag-packageus-top-news","66":"tag-plcy","67":"tag-pol","68":"tag-potus","69":"tag-topicbusiness-tariffs","70":"tag-topicworld-china-slug","71":"tag-topnws","72":"tag-tracc","73":"tag-trd","74":"tag-trf","75":"tag-uk","76":"tag-united-kingdom","77":"tag-us","78":"tag-wash"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694743","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=694743"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/694743\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/694744"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=694743"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=694743"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=694743"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}