Economic Watch: China's foreign trade firms up on robust July performance

BEIJING, Aug. 7 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade has shown steady growth this year despite global uncertainties, with a particularly strong performance in July dispelling concerns about the country's economic resilience.

China's total goods imports and exports in yuan-denominated terms rose to 25.7 trillion yuan (about 3.6 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of 2025, up 3.5 percent year on year, official data showed Thursday.

The growth rate accelerated from an increase of 2.9 percent registered in the first half of the year, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

Despite a challenging external environment, China's foreign trade has maintained upward momentum this year, underpinning a steady economic recovery, said Lyu Daliang, director of the GAC's Department of Statistics and Analysis.

RESILIENT DATA

Customs data showed a strong performance in foreign trade last month. Total goods trade in July rose 6.7 percent year on year to hit a new monthly record of 3.91 trillion yuan this year, with the growth pace also quickening from 5.2 percent in June. Exports jumped 8 percent, while imports climbed 4.8 percent to mark the second consecutive month of growth.

In the first seven months combined, exports were mainly driven by mechanical and electrical products, which accounted for about 60 percent of China's total exports. Notably, exports of automatic data processing equipment, integrated circuits, and automobiles all posted solid gains.

On the import side, while volumes of certain bulk energy commodities declined, crude oil and soybeans rose. The import value of mechanical and electrical products also recorded steady growth.

ASEAN retained its position as China's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade growing 9.4 percent year on year in the first seven months, accounting for 16.7 percent of the country's total foreign trade. The European Union ranked second, with trade up by 3.9 percent. The United States was China's third-largest partner, though bilateral trade declined by 11.1 percent during the period.

Meanwhile, China's trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road cooperation reached 13.29 trillion yuan, up 5.5 percent from a year earlier.

BRAVING CHALLENGES

Analysts noted that rising protectionism since the beginning of the year has seriously undermined international trade norms and dealt significant blows to Chinese export-oriented enterprises.

In response, the Chinese government has ramped up efforts to keep foreign trade stable and secure economic momentum, rolling out a series of measures from bolstering cross-border e-commerce to deepening reform and innovation in national economic and technological development zones.

In a landmark move, China has announced that its Hainan Free Trade Port will launch an island-wide independent customs operation on Dec. 18, which features favorable zero-tariff policies and more relaxed trade regulations.

At a meeting of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee last Wednesday, policymakers pledged to assist foreign trade enterprises that suffered huge blows and intensify financing support to promote the integrated development of domestic and foreign trade.

The efforts are gaining traction. The latest trade climate survey shows that confidence among both export and import enterprises has risen for two consecutive months.

As supportive policies continue to intensify, Chinese enterprises can better face challenges and the country's foreign trade will continue to show resilience and provide sustained economic momentum, said Zhang Yu, a researcher at the National Academy of Economic Strategy under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences. ■