China reported on Wednesday a record trade surplus of almost $1.2 trillion in 2025, driven by surging exports to markets outside the United States as manufacturers sought to expand globally amid continued pressure from the Trump administration.
Efforts by Chinese policymakers to encourage companies to reduce reliance on the world’s largest consumer market by pivoting toward Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America proved effective, helping shield the economy from U.S. tariffs and escalating trade, technology and geopolitical tensions since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House last year.
China posts $100 billion+ trade surplus seven times in 2025
Customs data released on Wednesday showed that China recorded a full-year trade surplus of $1.189 trillion after surpassing the $1 trillion mark for the first time in November.
“With more diversified trading partners, China’s ability to withstand risks has been significantly enhanced,” Wang Jun, a vice minister at China’s customs administration, said at a press briefing following the data release.
Exports from the world’s second-largest economy rose 6.6 percent in value year on year in December, accelerating from a 5.9 percent gain in November and far exceeding economists’ expectations of a 3 percent increase. Meanwhile, imports climbed 5.7 percent, accelerating from a 1.9 percent increase in the previous month and surpassing expectations for a modest 0.9 percent rise.
China posted monthly trade surpluses of more than $100 billion on seven occasions last year, partly supported by a weaker yuan—up from just once in 2024—highlighting that President Trump’s measures have had limited impact on China’s overall global trade, even as shipments to the United States declined.
Read: U.S. trade deficit plummets 39 percent to below $30 billion as Trump tariffs curb imports
Exports to the U.S. fall 20 percent in 2025
Exports to the U.S. fell 20 percent in dollar terms in 2025, while imports from the world’s largest economy dropped 14.6 percent. At the same time, Chinese manufacturers expanded their footprint elsewhere, with exports to Africa surging 25.8 percent, shipments to the ASEAN bloc rising 13.4 percent and exports to the European Union increasing 8.4 percent.
China’s rare-earth exports climbed to their highest level since at least 2014 in 2025, despite Beijing moving from April to restrict shipments of several medium and heavy elements. Analysts viewed the step as a signal of China’s leverage over Washington as talks dragged on over soybean purchases, a possible Boeing aircraft deal and the future of TikTok’s U.S. operations.
Meanwhile, the world’s largest agricultural importer bought a record amount of soybeans in 2025, driven by a sharp rise in supplies from South America. Chinese buyers largely steered clear of U.S. soybeans for much of the year as trade frictions persisted.
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