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China foreign trade and high-tech sector growth

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2026-09-08 09:59 UTC → 2026-09-08 22:23 UTC · added ~~removed~~

China’s foreign trade continues to expand, driven by a dual-engine model of high-tech goods and services. Through the first seven months of the year, total goods trade reached 30.13 trillion yuan, a 17.3% year-on-year increase. This growth is increasingly concentrated in high-value sectors such as electric vehicles, lithium batteries, wind power equipment, and electromechanical products. High-tech exports specifically saw a surge of over 50% in July. Service trade has also grown, reaching 4.44 trillion yuan in the first seven months, an 8.3% increase. This sector is supported by traditional services like travel and transportation—boosted by visa-free policies—and knowledge-intensive services, including intellectual property and cultural entertainment, which now constitute 53.5% of service exports. By August, China’s trade surplus reached $119.1 billion, marking the third consecutive month the surplus has exceeded $100 billion. During August, exports grew by 25% year-over-year, reaching $401.44 billion. This growth was primarily driven by strong global demand for high-tech goods, semiconductors, and automobiles, particularly electric vehicles. While the manufacturing PMI showed signs of recovery, rising to 49.8 in August, domestic economic challenges persist, including weak retail sales, sluggish investment, and a continuing downturn in the property market. Imports rose by 28.2% to $282.36 billion, falling short of the 30% expected by economists. This expansion occurs amid heightened trade tensions; China’s trade surplus with the United States grew by approximately 44% year-over-year, exceeding $29 billion. The widening surplus remains a point of contention for U.S. and EU policymakers regarding trade imbalances and manufacturing competition. Recent developments indicate that August exports were further bolstered by global demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure. As a trade truce set to expire in November approaches, Chinese leadership and U.S. officials are expected to meet. The U.S.

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