China's Foreign Trade Grows 3.6% in First 11 Months of 2025, Reaching 41.21 Trillion Yuan

Overall Growth and Key Figures

China's total goods imports and exports expanded by 3.6 percent year-on-year during the first 11 months of 2025, reaching a substantial 41.21 trillion yuan (approximately $5.82 trillion USD). This data was officially released by the General Administration of Customs on Monday, December 8, 2025.

The growth was primarily driven by a robust performance in exports, which climbed by 6.2 percent year-on-year to 24.46 trillion yuan. Imports, while growing, saw a more modest increase of 0.2 percent, totaling 16.75 trillion yuan for the January-November period.

November Performance and Trade Balance

The month of November alone demonstrated a significant rebound in foreign trade, with total imports and exports reaching 3.9 trillion yuan, marking a 4.1 percent year-on-year increase. Exports in November rose by 5.7 percent, and imports jumped by 1.7 percent.

China's trade surplus also saw a notable expansion, widening to $111.68 billion in November, the largest since June. For the first 11 months of the year, the cumulative trade surplus surpassed the $1 trillion mark for the first time, reaching approximately $1.08 trillion.

Major Trading Partners and Structural Shifts

Analysis of China's trading partners during this period reveals shifting dynamics:

• ASEAN remained China's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade surging by 8.5 percent year-on-year to 6.82 trillion yuan, accounting for 16.6 percent of China's total foreign trade.
• The European Union (EU) was the second-largest partner, with trade volume reaching 5.37 trillion yuan, an increase of 5.4 percent, making up 13 percent of the total.
• Trade with the United States, China's third-largest trading partner, experienced a significant decline, plunging by 16.9 percent to 3.69 trillion yuan, representing 8.9 percent of China's total foreign trade.
• Trade with countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) saw a healthy gain of 6 percent year-on-year, totaling 21.33 trillion yuan and accounting for 51.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.

Private enterprises played a crucial role, demonstrating a year-on-year growth of 7.1 percent in foreign trade, with their imports and exports totaling 23.52 trillion yuan, which accounts for 57.1 percent of the nation's total. Furthermore, there was a structural shift in exports, with mechanical and electrical products growing by 8.8 percent and constituting 60.9 percent of total exports, while labor-intensive products saw a decrease of 3.5 percent.

Conclusion

Despite external headwinds, China's foreign trade has shown resilience and steady growth in the first 11 months of 2025. The positive performance in exports, particularly in mechanical and electrical products, and the strong engagement with ASEAN and BRI countries, underscore the adaptability of China's trade sector. The significant increase in the trade surplus also highlights the country's continued strength in global commerce.