China’s foreign trade grows 5.6% in April and exports advance despite US tariffs

China’s foreign trade registered growth in April 2025, maintaining expansion trajectory despite tariff restrictions imposed by business partners, such as the United States.

Data released by the General Administration of China Customs (GAC) on Friday (9) indicate that the total value of imports and exports reached 3.84 trillion yuans (approximately US $ 531.46 billion), which represents a growth of 5.6% over the same month of the previous year.

Exports totaled 2.27 trillion yuans, with annual increase of 9.3%, while imports totaled 1.57 trillion yuans, up 0.8%. From January to April, the country’s merchandise trade reached 14.14 trillion yuans, a growth of 2.4% compared to the same period as 2024.

The advance of exports in the first quarter was 7.5%, reaching 8.39 trillion yuans, while imports fell 4.2%, totaling 5.75 trillion yuans. The general growth rate of trade accelerated 1.1 percentage point compared to the first quarter.

Among China’s main business partners, the Southeast Asia Nations Association (Asean) remained in the lead, with a trade volume of 2.38 trillion yuans from January to April, an increase of 9.2% in the annual comparison.

The block accounted for 16.8% of China’s total trade in the period. Exports to ASEAN grew 12.6%, totaling 1.48 trillion yuans, while imports rose 4%to 895.17 billion yuans.

The European Union was the second main commercial partner, with a total of 1.78 trillion yuans in commerce, growth of 1.1% over the previous year.

Chinese exports to the European bloc increased 6.1%, reaching 1.21 trillion yuans, while imports fell 8.1%to 563.59 billion yuans.

The United States occupied the third position, with trade exchange of 1.44 trillion yuans between January and April, which represents a drop of 2.1% and 10.2% of participation in total.

China exports to the US fell 1.5%, totaling 1.07 trillion yuans, while imports decreased 3.7%to 369.95 billion yuans.

Trade with countries involved in the belt and route initiative totaled 7.25 trillion yuans in the same period, up 3.9% compared to the first four months of 2024.

Private companies accounted for the largest share of transactions, with imports and exports of 8.05 trillion yuans, an increase of 6.8% over the previous year and 56.9% participation in China’s total foreign trade.

The percentage represents growth of 2.3 percentage points over the same period last year.

Companies with foreign investment registered trade volume of 4.1 trillion yuans in the period, 1.9% and 29% share in total.

In the product segment, electromechanical goods represented more than 60% of total exports. Foreign sales of this category reached 5.04 trillion yuans, up 9.5% over the same period of 2024.

Highlights, equipment exports and components for automatic data processing totaled 458.71 billion yuans, a growth of 5.6%.

Integrated circuit exports advanced 14.7%, reaching 405.15 billion yuan, while motor vehicle exports reached 264.98 billion yuans, up 4%.

In an interview with the newspaper Global TimesZhou Mi, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, said the Chinese manufacturing industry maintained its ability to adapt to the demands of the global market.

According to him, the results also reflect the impact of measures aimed at expanding commercial partnerships, customs facilitation and reinforcement of logistics infrastructure.

Zhou also pointed out that the opening of the Chinese economy is being expanded through reforms that favor bidirectional commercial flow.

The researcher noted that the strengthening of the domestic market also contributes to the increase of consumption and the generation of new opportunities for imports.

Despite commercial tariffs applied by countries such as the United States, official data indicates continuity in the expansion of Chinese foreign trade and resilience of the manufacturing sector to external pressures.

GAC did not mention direct impacts of tariff measures on data disclosed, but noted that export growth was mainly pulled by technological products and high value added goods.