China says trade in 2025 reached 'new historical high'

BEIJING: China said Wednesday trade volumes reached a record last year, as global demand for Chinese goods held firm despite a slump in exports to the US after Donald Trump raised tariffs.

Trade in 2025 “surpassed 45 trillion yuan ($6.4 trillion) for the first time, setting a new historical high,” vice customs minister Wang Jun told a press conference in Beijing.

Exports, which have traditionally been the main driver of the world’s second-largest economy, rose 6.1 percent in 2025 from the previous year.

Imports were up 0.5 percent, customs data showed.

“Some country has politicised trade issues and limited high tech exports to China, if they hadn’t, we would have imported more,” Wang said, in a veiled reference to the Trump’s tariffs.

Looking ahead to 2026, China’s market will “open more” and “still be an opportunity for the world” he added.