In a strong indication of the resilience of the world's second-largest economy, China announced on Wednesday an unprecedented economic achievement, with trade volume reaching record highs last year. This announcement underscores the continued strong global demand for Chinese goods and products, reflecting Beijing's pivotal role in global supply chains, despite geopolitical challenges and a decline in direct exports to the United States following the protectionist policies and tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Record numbers defy pressure
During a press conference held in Beijing, Vice Minister of Customs Wang Jun revealed official data showing that China's foreign trade volume in 2025 surpassed 45 trillion yuan (approximately US$6.4 trillion) for the first time in the country's history. Wang stated, "This figure represents a new historical record and reflects the Chinese economy's ability to adapt and grow amidst a complex global environment." The data also showed that exports, long considered the main driver and backbone of China's economic growth, saw a significant increase of 6.1% compared to the previous year, while imports experienced a slight increase of 0.5%.
Economic context and trade tensions
This achievement comes at a time when the global economy is undergoing radical transformations and attempts are underway to reshape international trade maps. Despite the trade war and high tariffs targeting Chinese goods in the US market, China has managed to offset this setback by diversifying its trading partners and aggressively targeting the markets of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union, and countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. Economic analysts point out that these figures demonstrate the difficulty of economically decoupling from China, given its deep integration into global manufacturing industries.
The future of openness and technology
In a veiled reference to US policies, Wang Jun criticized what he called the politicization of trade issues, saying, "Some countries have politicized trade issues and restricted exports of advanced technology to China. If it weren't for that, our imports would be much higher." This statement alludes to restrictions on semiconductors and microelectronic technologies that China is striving to localize. The Chinese official concluded his remarks with a message of reassurance to global markets, emphasizing that the vast Chinese market "will open up even more" to foreign investment and products, and will remain "an opportunity for the world" for shared growth, reinforcing expectations that China will continue to be an engine of global economic growth in the coming years.
