China’s trade surplus widened to USD 105.43 billion in May 2026 from USD 102.72 billion in the same period of 2025, surpassing expectations of USD 92.1 billion and marking the largest trade surplus since January. Export growth accelerated to 19.4% year-on-year, reaching a record high of USD 376.78 billion, up from April’s 14.1% increase and above forecasts of 15% as companies continued to build inventories to pre-empt energy price pressures stemming from the ongoing war in the Middle East. Meanwhile, imports jumped 27.4% yoy to USD 271.35 billion, above expectations of 25%, and accelerated from 25.3% growth in April amid the government's efforts to boost domestic consumption. China’s trade surplus with the US climbed to USD 26.02 billion in May from USD 23.07 billion in April. For the first five months of 2026, China’s trade surplus reached USD 451.71 billion, down from USD 471.9 billion in the same period of 2025, as exports grew 15.5% while imports rose at a faster pace of 24.5%. source: General Administration of Customs

China recorded a trade surplus of 105.43 USD Billion in May of 2026. Balance of Trade in China averaged 18.86 USD Billion from 1981 until 2026, reaching an all time high of 137.97 USD Billion in January of 2025 and a record low of -61.99 USD Billion in February of 2020. This page provides - China Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. China Balance of Trade - data, historical chart, forecasts and calendar of releases - was last updated on June of 2026.

China recorded a trade surplus of 105.43 USD Billion in May of 2026. Balance of Trade in China is expected to be 110.00 USD Billion by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. In the long-term, the China Balance of Trade is projected to trend around 94.00 USD Billion in 2027, according to our econometric models.



Calendar GMT Reference Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2026-05-09 03:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Apr $84.82B $51.13B $83.3B $79.1B
2026-06-09 03:00 AM
Balance of Trade
May $105.43B $84.8B $92.1B $89.0B
2026-07-14 03:00 AM
Balance of Trade
Jun $105.43B $ 110B


Related Last Previous Unit Reference
Passanger Car Exports 805293.00 652009.00 Apr 2026
Balance of Trade 105.43 84.80 USD Billion May 2026
China Trade Balance – Yuan Terms 723.98 585.60 CNY Billion May 2026
Electric Car Exports 278081.00 206777.00 Units Apr 2026
Exports 376.78 359.44 USD Billion May 2026
Exports YoY 19.40 14.10 percent May 2026
Exports – Yuan Terms 2481.72 2229.70 CNY Billion Apr 2026
Imports 271.35 274.62 USD Billion May 2026
Imports YoY 27.40 25.30 percent May 2026
Imports – Yuan Terms 1896.03 1874.94 CNY Billion Apr 2026
Terms of Trade 89.60 94.20 points Apr 2026


China Balance of Trade
Since 1995, China has been recording consistent trade surpluses. Exports are dominated by machinery and transport equipment—especially electrical machinery, telecommunications devices, office machines, and industrial machinery—alongside manufactured goods, textiles, chemicals, and food products. The European Union and the United States are the largest destinations, supported by regional markets including Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Germany, India, and the Netherlands. Imports are driven by machinery, energy products, industrial raw materials, and chemicals, sourced mainly from the EU, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, the US, and Australia. This mix of high-value exports and essential imports generally results in a persistent trade surplus, highlighting China’s role as a global manufacturing hub and a major consumer of raw materials.
Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
105.43 84.80 137.97 -61.99 1981 - 2026 USD Billion Monthly
Current Prices, NSA

News Stream
China Trade Surplus Largest in 4 Months
China’s trade surplus widened to USD 105.43 billion in May 2026 from USD 102.72 billion in the same period of 2025, surpassing expectations of USD 92.1 billion and marking the largest trade surplus since January. Export growth accelerated to 19.4% year-on-year, reaching a record high of USD 376.78 billion, up from April’s 14.1% increase and above forecasts of 15% as companies continued to build inventories to pre-empt energy price pressures stemming from the ongoing war in the Middle East. Meanwhile, imports jumped 27.4% yoy to USD 271.35 billion, above expectations of 25%, and accelerated from 25.3% growth in April amid the government's efforts to boost domestic consumption. China’s trade surplus with the US climbed to USD 26.02 billion in May from USD 23.07 billion in April. For the first five months of 2026, China’s trade surplus reached USD 451.71 billion, down from USD 471.9 billion in the same period of 2025, as exports grew 15.5% while imports rose at a faster pace of 24.5%.
2026-06-09
China Calls for Strait of Hormuz to Remain Open
Beijing signaled during the U.S.-China summit that China wants the Strait of Hormuz to remain open without restrictions, tolls, or military control, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said. Speaking to Bloomberg TV, Greer stated: “It’s really important for China to have the Strait of Hormuz open, no tolling, no military control.” He added that Washington views China as acting “very pragmatic” regarding Iran and believes Beijing does not want to be “on the wrong side of this.” Greer also said both China and the U.S. want peace in the region, expressing confidence that Beijing would help limit military support for Iran amid rising tensions in the Middle East.
2026-05-15
China’s Trade Surplus Surpasses Estimates
China’s trade surplus narrowed to $84.82 billion in April 2026 from $95.85 billion in the same period of 2025, but surpassed market expectations of $83.3 billion. Export growth accelerated sharply to 14.1%, reaching a record high of $359.44 billion, up from March’s 2.5% rise and much faster than forecasts of 7.9%, due to seasonal factors, as companies rushed to stockpile components from the manufacturing powerhouse amid fears that the Iran war could push input costs even higher. Meanwhile, imports surged 25.3% year-on-year to $274.62 billion, above expectations of 15.2% and marking the second consecutive month of record-high imports, though slightly lower than the 27.8% jump in the previous month. The trade surplus with the US stood at $23.07 billion in April. For the first four months of 2026, China’s trade surplus reached $347.70 billion, down from $368.8 billion in the same period of 2025, with exports rising 14.5% while imports grew at a faster 23.6%.
2026-05-09