China's Foreign Trade Jumps 18.3% in Jan–Feb 2026

China's foreign trade recorded strong growth in the first two months of 2026, with total imports and exports rising significantly amid expanding trade with major partners and increased shipments of key products.

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs, China's total goods trade reached RMB 7.73 trillion (about USD 1.07 trillion) from January to February 2026, representing a year-on-year increase of 18.3%. Exports totaled RMB 4.62 trillion, up 19.2%, while imports reached RMB 3.11 trillion, marking a 17.1% increase compared with the same period last year.

General Trade Remains Dominant

By trade type, general trade continued to account for the largest share of China's foreign trade. During the first two months of the year, general trade imports and exports totaled RMB 4.78 trillion, growing 13.5% year on year.

Meanwhile, processing trade reached RMB 1.43 trillion, an increase of 19.3%, while bonded logistics trade rose sharply to RMB 1.24 trillion, up 36.9%, reflecting strong activity in cross-border supply chains and logistics operations.

Trade With ASEAN and EU Expands

In terms of major trading partners, trade between China and ASEAN reached RMB 1.24 trillion, growing 20.3% year on year, reinforcing ASEAN's position as China's largest trading partner.

Trade between China and the European Union totaled RMB 998.94 billion, an increase of 19.9%, while trade with the United States declined to RMB 609.71 billion, down 16.9%.

During the same period, China's trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) totaled RMB 4.02 trillion, representing a 20% increase, highlighting continued expansion in trade ties with emerging markets.

Private Enterprises Drive Trade Growth

Private enterprises remained the main driver of China's foreign trade growth. In the first two months of 2026, private companies recorded imports and exports worth RMB 4.51 trillion, up 22.8% year on year.

Foreign-invested enterprises posted RMB 2.2 trillion in trade, marking a 15.3% increase, while state-owned enterprises accounted for RMB 1 trillion, growing 7.4% during the same period.

Strong Performance in Electromechanical Exports

From the perspective of major commodities, electromechanical products continued to dominate China's export structure. Exports of electromechanical goods reached RMB 2.89 trillion, increasing 24.3% year on year.

Other export categories also expanded, including labor-intensive products, which totaled RMB 702.67 billion, up 15.6%, and agricultural products, which reached RMB 120.01 billion, rising 9.7%.

On the import side, China imported RMB 1.21 trillion worth of electromechanical products, up 21.3%. Imports of iron ore totaled 210 million tons, increasing 10%, while crude oil imports reached 96.934 million tons, up 15.8%.

Overall, the data indicate robust growth in China's foreign trade at the beginning of 2026, supported by strong exports, expanding trade with key partners, and rising demand for industrial commodities.