China's Goods Trade Grew 3.5% in the First Eight Months of 2025

According to the latest statistics from Chinese Customs, China's goods trade maintained steady growth in the first eight months of 2025, with a total import and export value of RMB 29.57 trillion, up 3.5% year-on-year (YoY). Exports totaled RMB 17.61 trillion, up 6.9%, while imports amounted to RMB 11.96 trillion, down 1.2%, with the decline narrowing by 0.4 percentage points compared to the first seven months. In August alone, China's goods trade reached RMB 3.87 trillion, up 3.5% YoY, with exports of RMB 2.3 trillion, up 4.8%, and imports of RMB 1.57 trillion, up 1.7%, marking three consecutive months of growth for both exports and imports.

From January to August, China's general trade totaled RMB 18.89 trillion, up 2.2%, accounting for 63.9% of total foreign trade; processing trade totaled RMB 5.34 trillion, up 6.1%, accounting for 18.1%; and bonded logistics trade reached RMB 4.23 trillion, up 5.6%.

During the period, ASEAN was China's largest trading partner, with total trade reaching RMB 4.93 trillion, up 9.7%, accounting for 16.7% of China's total foreign trade. The European Union was China's second-largest trading partner, with trade totaling RMB 3.88 trillion, up 4.3%, accounting for 13.1%. The United States ranked third, with total trade of RMB 2.73 trillion, down 13.5%, accounting for 9.2% of total trade.

During the same period, China's total trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached RMB 15.3 trillion, up 5.4%.

From January to August, private enterprises achieved total trade of RMB 16.89 trillion, up 7.4%, accounting for 57.1% of total foreign trade, up 2.1 percentage points compared to the same period last year. Foreign-invested enterprises recorded trade of RMB 8.59 trillion, up 2.3%, accounting for 29.1% of total trade. State-owned enterprises saw trade of RMB 4.02 trillion, down 8.1%, accounting for 13.6%.

In the first eight months, China's exports of mechanical and electrical products totaled RMB 10.6 trillion, up 9.2%, accounting for 60.2% of total exports. Among them, automatic data processing equipment and parts reached RMB 946.59 billion, up 0.6%; integrated circuits totaled RMB 905.18 billion, up 23.3%; and automobiles reached RMB 605.23 billion, up 11.9%. Meanwhile, exports of labor-intensive products totaled RMB 2.75 trillion, down 1.5%, accounting for 15.6% of total exports. Within this category, clothing and apparel exports reached RMB 738 billion, down 0.7%; textiles totaled RMB 678.75 billion, up 2.6%; and plastic products reached RMB 500.4 billion, up 0.6%. Agricultural exports totaled RMB 472.55 billion, up 2%.

In the first eight months, China imported 802 million tons of iron ore, down 1.6%, with an average price falling 14.1%; 376 million tons of crude oil, up 2.5%, with an average price down 12.9%; 300 million tons of coal, down 12.2%, with prices down 25%; 81.91 million tons of natural gas, down 5.9%, with prices down 7.1%; 73.31 million tons of soybeans, up 4%, with prices down 11.9%; and 26.733 million tons of refined oil, down 17.8%, with prices down 3.9%. In addition, imports of primary-shaped plastics totaled 17.918 million tons, down 6.8%, with prices down 0.4%; and unwrought copper and copper products totaled 3.536 million tons, down 2.1%, with prices up 5%. Meanwhile, imports of mechanical and electrical products totaled RMB 4.72 trillion, up 5.2%.