Wed, 14 Jan 2026

Wed, 14 Jan 2026 China announces record $1tn trade surplus despite Trump tariffs

Beijing reported the largest-ever trade surplus at $1.19tn as China diversified its trade.
- China reported a record trade surplus in 2025: $1.19tn (£890bn) - This surpassed the previous record of $993bn set in 2024 - Chinese exports have been boosted by strong demand from countries such as South East Asia, Africa, and Latin America, despite a weakening of US market due to Trump's tariffs - The country's monthly export surpluses exceeded $100bn seven times last year, indicating that the trade war with the US had limited impact on China's overall trade performance - A weak domestic market in China, driven by a property crisis and rising debt, has reduced imports, which rose only 0.5% in 2025 - China's economy is facing challenges, but its success in exports may be a "mixed blessing" as it could lead to greater scrutiny from foreign markets competing with Chinese products - Trade analyst Deborah Elms expects Chinese goods and services to become more deeply entrenched in global businesses, leading to continued success in the sector.
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