China Balance of Trade

Last Release

Aug 31, 2025

Actual

102.33

Units In

USD HML

98.24

Frequency

Monthly

Next Release

Oct 13, 2025

Time to Release

1 Months 2 Days 3 Hours

Highest	Lowest	Average	Date Range	Source
170.52 Feb 2025	-61.99 Feb 2020	18.06 USD HML	1981-2025	General Administration of Customs

Since 1995, China has been recording consistent trade surpluses which from 2004 to 2009 has increased 10 times. In 2019, China posted a trade surplus of USD 421.9 billion, the biggest since 2016, as exports increased 0.5 percent and imports fell 2.7 percent on weak domestic demand and trade tensions with the US. The biggest trade surpluses were recorded with the US, Hong Kong, the EU - in particular the Netherlands, the UK, Poland, Spain, Italy and Belgium - India, Vietnam, the Philippines, Singapore, the UAE, Pakistan, Turkey and Indonesia. The largest deficits were recorded with Taiwan, Australia, South Korea, Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Malaysia, Oman, Chile and Russia.

Latest Updates

China’s trade surplus came in at USD 102.33 billion in August 2025, surpassing expectations of USD 99.2 billion and higher than the USD 91.29 billion recorded in the same month a year earlier, as exports continued to outpace imports. Exports grew 4.4% yoy, falling short of forecasts for a 5% gain and easing from a 7.2% rise in July, as a temporary boost from Beijing's tariff truce faded. Meanwhile, imports rose by 1.3%, below expectations of a 3% growth, and slowing from a 4.1% gain in July, as a persistent property sector downturn, rising job insecurity, and the tapering of consumer-focused stimulus kept domestic demand subdued. China’s trade surplus with the US declined to USD 20.32 billion in August, down from USD 23.74 billion in July, as both exports and imports with the US declined, falling 33.1% and 16.0%, respectively. Year-to-date, China posted a total trade surplus of USD 785.3 billion, with exports up 5.9% yoy, while imports fell by 2.2% compared to the same period in 2024.