Demand for capital goods needed for AI infrastructure drove the increase in sales to the US, and exports to the EU rose 25.3%. Integrated circuit shipments climbed 99.1% in the first three quarters, while electric vehicles and lithium batteries grew 72.3% and 36.4% respectively, with equipment manufacturing driving nearly 90% of all export growth. On the import side, shipments increased by a third as geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East pushed up oil prices and inflated the energy bill.
Tuesday, October 20, 2026
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China Trade Surplus on Track to Break $1.2 Trillion Record
Global Markets7 days ago
Exports to the US jumped 40% in September to drive a monthly trade surplus with the American economy of $34 billion, the widest such gap since January 2025. This surge pushed China's total trade surplus for the first nine months of 2026 to $938 billion, placing the country on course to exceed the $1.2 trillion annual record established in 2025. For September, dollar denominated exports rose 36.3% year on year and imports grew 31%, resulting in an overall monthly surplus of $133.53 billion.
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