Chinese Exports See Strong Growth Despite Trump Tariffs

(Patria) - Chinese exports recorded strong growth in the first two months of this year, despite trade tensions with the United States.

According to official data, exports in January and February jumped by more than 20 percent, almost triple the predictions of economists.

Such results put China on track to exceed the record annual trade surplus achieved in 2025, writes BBC.

This announcement comes ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit to China, where he is expected to meet with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in early April.

Exports are of crucial importance to the world's second-largest economy, which faces a number of domestic problems, including weak household consumption, a declining population, and a real estate market crisis.

Beijing usually publishes combined data for January and February to mitigate statistical deviations caused by the Lunar New Year celebration, which falls on a different date each year.

The growth in Chinese exports was most contributed by strong demand for electronics, and shipments of agricultural and industrial products also increased.

Trade with European countries increased by 27.8%, while exports to ASEAN countries - a group of Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines - recorded growth of almost 30%.

At the same time, Chinese exports to America fell by more than 10%, a consequence of tariffs and other measures introduced by Trump to reduce the trade imbalance between the two countries.

Last week, China set an annual economic growth target of between 4.5% and 5%, which is lower than the 5% target for 2025, which was largely achieved precisely thanks to strong exports.

Exports were the key driver of the Chinese economy, sustaining it despite weak domestic demand and a decline in the real estate market.

The meeting between Trump and Xi comes at a time when China, like many countries in Asia, is facing the economic consequences of the US-Israeli war with Iran, which has disrupted the global energy market.