World trade China's exports pick up again significantly
China's exports have recently risen significantly again after a surprising decline. Compared to the same month last year, exports measured in US dollars rose by 5.9% in November, according to the customs authority in Beijing.
08.12.2025, 05:37
08.12.2025, 06:59
SDA
Imports increased by 1.9 percent in the same period. The trade surplus amounted to almost 111.7 billion US dollars.
Exports thus exceeded the expectations of analysts, who had predicted growth of only around 3.8 percent. Imports, on the other hand, fell short of the experts' forecasts - an increase of 2.8 percent had been expected. In October, China's exports fell by a surprising 1.1 percent over the year as a whole. The trade surplus of the export-driven economy also exceeded the one trillion US dollar threshold for the year as a whole.
Trade with the USA after a pause in the dispute
There has been no recovery in trade with the USA. US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping reached an agreement on a number of points in the customs and commodities dispute between the world's two largest economies in South Korea at the end of October.
China suspended announced export controls on further rare earths and began importing soybeans from the US again. Washington extended its tariff pause and withdrew sanctions against Chinese companies. However, trade with the United States continued to slump. China's exports to the US fell by almost 29% in November, while imports fell by around 19%.
How China's trade with Europe developed
China's companies are looking for alternative markets due to the US tariffs and difficult competition in the People's Republic. China exported 14.2% more to the EU, but only imported 1.6% more in goods value from there.
The weak demand in China is also due to the fact that the excessive supply in many sectors cannot be absorbed. Chinese exporters are therefore focusing more on regions in the Global South. According to trade data, China's exports to the countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) rose by 8.2 percent in November and to the African continent by as much as 27.5 percent.
Important meeting expected in Beijing
Another problem for the economy is that people's confidence to spend their money continues to be dampened by the consequences of the real estate crisis. Economic analysts are calling for more measures to boost consumption. Trade-in programs for old appliances and cars, better conditions for home loans and the introduction of a child benefit have so far had little effect - partly because the government's focus remains on investments in technology and industrial development.
Analysts were therefore eagerly awaiting a meeting at which the Communist Party discussed its future economic policy. The Central Economic Work Conference emphasized that the economy is stable, but that domestic demand must be boosted and new growth drivers expanded, among other things. For this year, China wants to achieve a growth in gross domestic product of around five percent again.
