China starts new year with strong foreign trade performance

ISTANBUL

Following a record foreign trade surplus in 2025, China posted a strong export performance at the beginning of 2026.

In the first two months of 2026, China's exports rose by 21.8% to $656.5 billion, while imports increased by 19.8% to $442.9 billion, the General Administration of Customs of China announced on Tuesday.

The trade surplus rose to $213.6 billion in the first two months of the year, marking the largest increase ever recorded in the January-February period.

During this period, China's exports to the US decreased by 11%, while exports to ASEAN countries increased by 29.4%, to the EU by 27.8%, to Latin America by 16.4%, and to Africa by 50%.

It appears that China is developing trade with alternative markets to offset its declining foreign trade with the US due to geopolitical and economic competition and tariff disputes; However, the US remains China's largest export market as a single country.

Meanwhile, the US's trading partners, primarily European countries, are seeking to further develop their economic and trade relations with China in order to balance the uncertainties created by the Washington administration's tariff policy.

On the other hand, due to the Spring Festival holiday, which marks the beginning of the new year according to the traditional Chinese calendar, falling in January-February, foreign trade data was released collectively for the two-month period.