A cargo ship docks at a port in Lianyungang, East China's Jiangsu province, on Tuesday. WANG CHUN / FOR CHINA DAILY
China's foreign trade is expected to maintain steady growth momentum in the second half of 2026, supported by a strong innovation drive and resilient market players, further reinforcing the country's role as a source of global demand and a stabilizer of international supply chains, government officials and economists said on Tuesday.
Data released by the General Administration of Customs showed that China's trade in goods expanded 16.9 percent year-on-year to 25.47 trillion yuan ($3.76 trillion) in the first half, with imports growing faster than exports. Exports rose 13.4 percent, while imports climbed 22.1 percent, exceeding export growth by 8.7 percentage points.
Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Wang Jun, the administration's vice-minister, acknowledged that China's foreign trade will face certain headwinds in the second half, but said innovative products and continued opening-up will remain key pillars supporting its solid fundamentals.
"Stronger import growth, together with robust exports of higher-value manufactured goods, reflects a healthier and more balanced trade structure," he said, adding that the trend shows that China is contributing to global growth not only through its manufacturing strength, but also through its expanding domestic market, helping stabilize global industrial and supply chains.
