China's total trade in goods reached CNY45.47 trillion (approx. US$6.51 trillion) in 2025, marking a 3.8% year-over-year increase and setting a new record, the General Administration of Customs announced on January 14. Exports rose 6.1% to CNY26.99 trillion, while imports edged up 0.5% to CNY18.48 trillion, maintaining China's status as the largest merchandise trader globally.
According to Chinese media outlets The Paper and Wealth Magazine, Wang Jun, deputy director of the customs administration, identified electric vehicles (EVs), lithium batteries, and solar cells—referred to as the "new three"—as key contributors to export growth. High-tech product exports reached CNY5.25 trillion, up 13.2% from the previous year and accounting for 2.4pp of export growth. Among high-tech goods, green products saw notable increases, with exports of the three engines rising 27.1% and wind turbines soaring 48.7%.
Additional data revealed lithium battery exports climbed 26.2%, wind turbine shipments surged 48.7%, and other green transportation exports, including electric motorcycles and bicycles, increased by 18.1%. Railway electric locomotives also expanded 27.1%, underscoring China's rising competitiveness in the new energy vehicle and power battery sectors.
In the advanced manufacturing segment, exports of specialized machinery, high-end machine tools, and industrial robots increased 20.6%, 21.5%, and 48.7%, respectively. Notably, China became a net exporter of industrial robots for the first time, with exports exceeding imports.
China's trade partners continued to diversify, with total trade with Belt and Road Initiative countries reaching CNY23.6 trillion, representing more than half of China's overall trade volume. Exports to ASEAN, Latin America, and Africa also sustained growth momentum. Wang emphasized that despite a complex global environment, China's continuous increase in import-export volume over nine consecutive years demonstrates the robustness of its external trade.
Article translated by Jingyue Hsiao and edited by Jack Wu
