Amid a complex and volatile global environment, China's foreign trade demonstrated remarkable resilience, achieving dual improvements in scale and quality. According to the latest data from China's General Administration of Customs, the country's total import and export value reached RMB 10.3 trillion, up 1.3% year-on-year, marking eight consecutive quarters exceeding RMB 10 trillion and setting a record high for the same period. This achievement not only underscores the stability of China's economy but also highlights the positive outcomes of continuous structural optimization in foreign trade.
In terms of growth rates, imports and exports showed a monthly recovery trend in Q1. Affected by factors such as the Lunar New Year holiday in January, imports and exports decreased by 2.2% year-on-year. The growth rate turned positive in February, aligning with the same period last year, and further rebounded to 6% in March, indicating strong momentum in foreign trade recovery. As a key driver of growth, exports reached RMB 6.13 trillion in Q1, up 6.9% year-on-year, while imports amounted to RMB 4.17 trillion, down 6% year-on-year. The trade surplus expanded to RMB 1.96 trillion, reflecting China's steady competitiveness in the global industrial chain.
The diversification of trade partners emerged as a prominent highlight. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remained China's largest trading partner, with import and export volume reaching RMB 1.71 trillion, up 7.1% year-on-year, accounting for 16.6% of China's total foreign trade. The European Union (EU), as a traditional partner, saw trade volume reach RMB 1.3 trillion, up 1.4% year-on-year, showcasing the solid foundation of China-EU economic cooperation. Meanwhile, the share of countries along the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in China's foreign trade continued to rise, with import and export volume reaching RMB 5.26 trillion, up 2.2% year-on-year, accounting for 51.1% of the total. Emerging markets also demonstrated vibrant activity, with export growth rates to Asia, Africa, and other regions significantly higher than the overall level.
The optimization and upgrading of commodity structures became a new engine for foreign trade growth. New energy products stood out, with exports of wind turbines, lithium batteries, and electric vehicles increasing by 43.2%, 18.8%, and 8.2% respectively, highlighting China's leading position in green transformation. As the dominant force in foreign trade, mechanical and electrical products reached RMB 5.29 trillion, up 7.7% year-on-year, accounting for nearly half of the total. Domestic brands and high-end equipment also gained traction, with exports of industrial robots and high-precision machine tools surging by 67.4% and 16.4% respectively, indicating China's manufacturing sector is accelerating its shift toward high-end and intelligent development.
The vitality of foreign trade entities was inseparable from policy support. Private enterprises continued to serve as the mainstay, with 455,000 private firms engaging in foreign trade in Q1, accounting for 86.1% of all foreign trade enterprises. Their import and export volume reached RMB 5.85 trillion, up 5.8% year-on-year, representing 56.8% of the total. In the face of external pressures, China resolutely upheld the multilateral trading system, promptly responding to protectionist measures such as the U.S. "reciprocal tariffs" with countermeasures. Simultaneously, the country accelerated the development of smart customs systems to enhance clearance efficiency and create a more convenient business environment for foreign trade enterprises.
Regional coordinated development also played a crucial role in foreign trade growth. Coastal provinces like Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang leveraged their industrial cluster advantages to lead the nation's foreign trade, with combined imports and exports totaling RMB 7.78 trillion, accounting for 75% of the national total. Central and western regions demonstrated robust late-mover advantages, recording RMB 1.84 trillion in imports and exports, up 8.7% year-on-year — 7.4 percentage points higher than the national average—and further increasing their share of national imports and exports.
Compared to the global trade landscape, China's counter-cyclical growth in foreign trade is even more remarkable. The World Trade Organization (WTO) forecasts a 1% decline in global trade volume in 2025, yet China's exports grew by 6.9%, underscoring the stability and irreplaceability of China's supply chains. Despite challenges in China-U.S. trade relations, bilateral trade volume still reached RMB 1.11 trillion, up 4% year-on-year, reflecting the deep-rooted foundation of economic ties between the two nations.
Looking ahead, China's foreign trade will nurture new opportunities amid challenges. On one hand, it needs to consolidate traditional advantages, strengthen technological innovation, and elevate the modernization of industrial chains. On the other hand, it must further expand into emerging markets, deepen BRI cooperation, and promote the diversification of trade partners. Meanwhile, in the face of uncertainties in global economic recovery, China will continue to expand openness, optimize the business environment, and leverage its own development certainty to navigate external uncertainties, injecting greater stability and positive energy into global trade.
China's foreign trade performance in Q1 2025 is not only an inspiring report card but also a vivid testament to the high-quality development of China's economy. By opening new paths amid changing circumstances and building on resilience, China's foreign trade is steadily advancing toward higher quality and standards.
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