China's goods trade surplus has exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in 2025, marking a historic milestone as global markets navigate evolving trade dynamics. Data released Monday by the General Administration of Customs shows total merchandise trade grew 3.6% year-on-year to 41.21 trillion yuan ($5.83 trillion) through November, underscoring the nation's economic resilience despite ongoing tariff negotiations with the United States.
Regional Partnerships Drive Growth
ASEAN solidified its position as China's largest trading partner with bilateral trade surging 8.5% to 6.82 trillion yuan, accounting for 16.6% of total trade. The European Union followed with 5.37 trillion yuan in trade volume (+5.4%), while U.S. trade declined 16.9% to 3.69 trillion yuan amid ongoing tariff discussions.
Advanced Manufacturing Powers Exports
"China's industrial leadership across 504 product categories provides unmatched supply chain stability," said Zhang Monan of the China Center for International Economic Exchanges. Exports of integrated circuits jumped 25.6% to 1.29 trillion yuan, while automobile exports rose 17.6% to 896.91 billion yuan, reflecting successful manufacturing upgrades.
Morgan Stanley analysts project China's global export share will reach 16.5% by 2030, driven by advancements in AI and green technology. Lower commodity prices also contributed to the surplus, with iron ore imports growing 1.4% by volume while prices fell 9.4%.
As trade diversification strategies bear fruit, experts highlight strengthened partnerships with emerging markets and technological innovation as key factors sustaining China's position as the world's manufacturing hub.
