China's Exports Rise 21.8% in Jan-Feb 2026

Beijing, China — China's exports surged 21.8 percent year-on-year in the first two months of 2026, according to customs data released Tuesday, signaling sustained momentum in the world's second-largest economy despite ongoing global trade tensions.

The combined January-February figures, which account for seasonal disruptions from the Lunar New Year holiday, showed outbound shipments reaching $656.58 billion in U.S. dollar terms. This marked a sharp acceleration from December's 6.6 percent growth and surpassed economists' median forecast of 7.1 percent. Imports also rose robustly, increasing 19.8 percent to contribute to a trade surplus of $213.6 billion for the period. That figure exceeded the previous year's same-period surplus and analysts' expectations of $179.6 billion.

The strong performance underscores China's continued reliance on exports amid a domestic slowdown driven by a prolonged property sector downturn. In 2025, exports grew 5.5 percent overall, helping push the annual trade surplus to a record $1.2 trillion. Shipments to non-U.S. markets, including Southeast Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe and the European Union, offset declines in trade with the United...