China’s foreign trade continued growing steadily in the first quarter of 2025, according to new data released Monday. The total value of goods traded reached 10.3 trillion yuan ($1.41 trillion), up 1.3 percent year-on-year.
Despite global economic uncertainty and renewed trade tensions, China maintained strong momentum. In March alone, foreign trade rose 6 percent compared to the same month last year. Officials said this shows consistent resilience in trade performance.
Exports jumped 6.9 percent year-on-year, reaching 6.13 trillion yuan during the first quarter. Meanwhile, imports dropped 6 percent to 4.17 trillion yuan. The trade surplus expanded due to this export strength.
China’s Belt and Road markets played a key role in this growth. Trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 5.26 trillion yuan. That figure marked a 2.2 percent increase from last year and accounted for over 51 percent of total trade.
This performance outpaced the national trade growth rate by 0.9 percentage points. Clearly, Belt and Road markets have become vital for China’s trade strategy.
Trade with ASEAN countries also increased significantly. It rose 7.1 percent from January to March, totaling 1.71 trillion yuan. This growth helped balance pressures from other global markets.
Private businesses remained central to China’s foreign trade structure. Their combined import and export value reached 5.85 trillion yuan. That represented a 5.8 percent yearly increase and accounted for 56.8 percent of all trade.
This share grew by 2.4 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024. Officials said this shows greater involvement of private firms in global markets.
Additionally, exports of electromechanical products reached 5.29 trillion yuan. That sector recorded a 7.7 percent increase year-on-year, reinforcing China’s strength in advanced manufacturing.
As trade tensions with the United States escalate, China continues to pivot toward Belt and Road markets for stability and growth. Officials emphasized the importance of diversified partnerships to reduce dependence on any single economy.
Overall, China’s Q1 trade performance reflects strong fundamentals. With expanding links to Belt and Road markets, the country appears poised to navigate global trade challenges more effectively.
