China’s H1 2026 Goods Trade Tops RMB25.47 Trillion on Double-Digit Expansion

Official figures released by the General Administration of Customs on 14 July record China’s total goods imports and exports reaching RMB 25.47 trillion in the first half of 2026, marking the first time the half-year reading has surpassed the RMB 25 trillion threshold. The aggregate value rose by 16.9 per cent year on year, cementing the country’s standing as the world’s largest trader of physical goods.

Briefing journalists at a press conference hosted by the State Council Information Office, a senior official from the General Administration of Customs described the half-year performance as robust and well-balanced, with clear progress made in both expanding trade volumes and upgrading industrial structures across cross-border commerce.

Export activity has maintained consistent upward momentum, hitting RMB 14.73 trillion for the six-month period, a 13.4 per cent annual increase that stretches uninterrupted growth across 11 consecutive quarters. Mechanical and electrical goods formed the backbone of outbound shipments, registering export turnover of RMB 9.36 trillion and a year-on-year rise of 20.1 per cent. This category now accounts for 63.5 per cent of all exported goods, lifting its share by 3.5 percentage points compared with the first half of 2025. Shipments of high-tech products climbed 39 per cent, while goods carrying independent domestic brand labels expanded by 25.4 per cent over the same comparative window.

A separate official from the statistics and analysis department of the customs body noted consistent global demand for Chinese sporting merchandise, with China retaining its position as the world’s biggest exporter of sports goods and equipment and capturing more than forty per cent of the global market share in this segment. Exports of sports hardware and related supplies totalled RMB 67.53 billion in the opening six months of 2026, including RMB 3.08 billion worth of sports balls.

Import metrics delivered an equally strong showing, with inbound trade valued at RMB 10.74 trillion, representing a 22.1 per cent year-on-year uptick. The pace of import growth outstripped export expansion by 8.7 percentage points, lifting the contribution of inbound trade to overall cross-border activity and fostering more balanced trade flows.

All categories of domestic market participants posted positive trade growth through the first half. Private enterprises recorded combined import and export turnover of RMB 14.53 trillion, up 17 per cent annually and responsible for nearly sixty per cent of the nation’s total foreign trade volume. Foreign-invested firms maintained nine successive quarters of expansion with a 17.1 per cent rise in cross-border transactions, while state-owned enterprises saw trade volumes advance by 16.8 per cent.

Regional trade data revealed differentiated yet widespread expansion across domestic territories. Eastern regions generated cross-border trade worth more than RMB 20 trillion, a 16.5 per cent annual increase that makes up 78.8 per cent of national trade totals. Western, central and northeastern areas registered respective growth rates of 20.3 per cent, 20 per cent and 8.6 per cent.

Diversification of global trading partners continues to deepen. Bilateral trade with economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached RMB 12.97 trillion in the first half, rising 14.8 per cent year on year and accounting for 50.9 per cent of China’s total import and export value. Separate trade flows with Latin America, Africa and the European Union grew by 16.2 per cent, 19.6 per cent and 10.2 per cent respectively.

The senior customs official acknowledged headwinds set to shape trade conditions in the second half of the calendar year, alongside solid underlying fundamentals for China’s external commerce. Sustained innovation capacity, vibrant domestic market entities and consistently high levels of opening-up form a stable foundation for cross-border trade, supporting sustained expansion across import and export channels for the remainder of 2026.