China’s foreign trade posted a marked improvement in the first three quarters of 2026, with exports and imports posting strong growth and the overall growth rate hitting the highest level in five years in the same period, data released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed.
Total imports and exports in the country grew 18.8% from a year earlier to 39.94 trillion yuan ($6 trillion) in the first nine months. Exports rose 16.4% to RMB23.2 trillion and imports rose 22.3% to RMB16.74 trillion, the GAC said.
The figures also show a steady acceleration of trade activity through the year. Growth reached 15.3 percent in the first quarter, then climbed to 18.3 percent in the second quarter and 22.3 percent in the third quarter.
September was particularly good. China’s total imports and exports rose 27.5% from the same month in 2025 to RMB5.16 trillion. This was the first time the country’s monthly foreign trade volume has surpassed RMB5 trillion.
Commenting on the results at a press briefing, Wang Jun, Deputy Head of the GAC, said China’s foreign trade growth in the first nine months was the fastest in the same period in the past five years. He said the quarterly and monthly growth rates have, for the most part, been on an accelerating path.
Wang also cited international trade data showing that China’s expansion was among the strongest of the world’s major economies, cementing its position as the world’s biggest trader of goods.
Export growth driven by high-tech, new-energy products
China’s export mix continued to shift toward higher-value technology and greener industries, with several product categories posting strong gains.
Exports of integrated circuits were up 99.1% year on year in the January-September period and were among the best performing export categories.
New-energy products also played a big role in the expansion. Electric vehicle shipments rose 72.3 per cent and lithium batteries surged 36.4 per cent. For the same period, the output of wind power generating sets and parts increased by 22.4 percent.
The latest data highlight the rising significance of high-tech and clean-energy manufacturing in China’s trade performance. The quarterly growth accelerated and the trade value in September hit a record high. The results show that foreign trade in the first nine months of 2026 had a stronger momentum.
