Faced with the complex situation of global politics and economy, the Ministry of Commerce revealed at the latest press conference that China’s foreign trade will still maintain a good momentum of stability with progress in the first five months of 2026.
The total value was 20.68 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.3%, of which imports increased by 20.5% and exports increased by 11.8%. A number of structural breakthroughs deserve attention.
1️⃣ Import potential continues to be released
- New high in scale: 1 –
The import scale in May hit a record high for the same period in history. - High-tech: Imports of high-tech products increased significantly by 31.2%.
- Bulk commodities & consumer goods: also maintained double-digit growth, reflecting the strong demand in China’s large market.
Insight: The rapid growth of imports not only makes up for the shortcomings of the domestic industrial chain, but also provides greater space for the global supply chain.
2️⃣ The export structure continues to be optimized
- Mechanical and electrical products: Exports increased by 18.4%, accounting for more than 63%, showing the resilience of the manufacturing industry.
- Three New Things: High-tech products such as electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and photovoltaics continue to lead the world.
- Integrated circuits: Strong performance further enhances the international competitiveness of domestic chips.
3️⃣
In-depth promotion of diversified markets
- “One Belt, One Road”: Imports and exports to related countries increased by 13.6%, accounting for 51%, demonstrating China’s pivotal role in the global industrial network.
- ASEAN, EU, Africa, Latin America: all achieved double-digit growth, and the trade layout became more balanced.
4️⃣ Policy Outlook
- Adhere to a high level of opening up: The Ministry of Commerce emphasized that it will continue to stabilize exports and expand imports to inject stability and positive energy into the global economy.
- Multiple measures: including improving the efficiency of the production and supply chain, deepening international cooperation, and promoting high-quality imports.
Conclusion: Although the external environment is full of uncertainties, China’s foreign trade continues to maintain growth and optimize its structure by virtue of its huge domestic demand base, complete production and supply chain system and diversified international markets.
In the second half of the year, focus on the “two-wheel drive” of high-tech imports and green innovation exports.
