China trade trade growth accelerates sharply in June

14th Jul 2026 08:02

(Sharecast News) - China's trade growth accelerated sharply in June, driven by surging global demand for AI‑related hardware and a rush by exporters to ship goods ahead of expected US tariff increases, said the General Administration of Customs.

Exports jumped 27% year‑on‑year in dollar terms - the fastest pace since October 2021 - up from 19.4% in May and well above economists' forecasts for 18.2% growth. Semiconductor, rare‑earth, auto and ship exports were the strongest categories in the first half, while toys, footwear, steel and furniture lagged.

Shipments to the US rose around 14% in June, with imports from the US up 26%. China's exports to the US have returned to positive growth in 2026 after suffering double‑digit declines for much of 2025.

Imports also surprised to the upside, rising 36% in June, marking the strongest increase since June 2021, compared with a 27.4% rise in May and far above expectations for 24% growth. The trade surplus stood at $125.6bn.

Beijing continues to grapple with a widening supply‑demand imbalance, with robust industrial output and AI‑linked exports supporting headline growth even as consumption and private investment remain weak amid a prolonged property downturn and volatile global oil prices.

Exports to the EU and ASEAN rose 18.5% and 35%, respectively, while imports from those regions climbed 9% and 27%.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com