Nation capable of sustaining trade growth

China's broad and balanced network of trading partners, innovative product offerings and resilient manufacturers will reinforce the country's confidence and capacity to navigate global trade challenges in the second half of 2025, government officials said on Monday.

Speaking at a news conference in Beijing, Wang Lingjun, vice-minister of the General Administration of Customs, said that in the face of rising protectionism and growing geopolitical uncertainty, the country's increasingly diversified and stable trade structure has strengthened its ability to mitigate external risks and maintain the growth momentum of its foreign trade.

"From the perspective of export markets, both traditional and emerging economies saw growth in the first half," Wang said, emphasizing that cooperation should remain the defining theme of China-United States trade ties and play a key role in restoring fairness and openness to the global trading system.

He said that China's trade with over 190 countries and regions registered growth between January and June, with 61 trading partners each recording trade volumes above 50 billion yuan ($6.97 billion) — five more than in the same period last year.

China's foreign trade grew 2.9 percent year-on-year to 21.79 trillion yuan in the first half of the year, statistics from the GAC showed.

Exports increased 7.2 percent year-on-year to 13 trillion yuan during this period, while imports declined 2.7 percent to 8.79 trillion yuan.

Lyu Daliang, director of the administration's department of statistics and analysis, said that Chinese exporters are capitalizing on the global energy transition by expanding their supply of customized, green and high-value products, and accelerating efforts to tap into new sectors and emerging markets.

For instance, they have developed solar-powered phones for regions with electricity shortages, and introduced dustproof, high-temperature-resistant engines for areas with desert terrain, said Lyu.

Zhao Zhongxiu, president of the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, said that China's ongoing shift toward digital and green manufacturing is reshaping its industrial landscape.

He noted that surging exports of ships, industrial robots and construction machinery underscore the country's growing manufacturing strength and global competitiveness.

That sentiment is in line with the latest data. China's exports of mechanical and electrical products, such as electric vehicles, wind turbines and lithium batteries, reached 7.8 trillion yuan during the first six months, an increase of 9.5 percent year-on-year. These products accounted for 60 percent of the country's total exports, according to GAC data.

Ningbo Huige Outdoor Products Co, a grill and kitchen appliance manufacturer in Ningbo, Zhejiang province, said that over 60 percent of its sales in 2024 were related to the US market.

"In response to tariff pressures, we have accelerated efforts to diversify our export markets in recent years, expanding into Europe, Australia and the Middle East, and establishing a subsidiary in Germany," said Mao Bibo, vice-president of the company.

According to data from Ningbo Customs, the Chinese company's exports reached 275 million yuan in the first half of this year, rising 17 percent year-on-year.

As Chinese exporters increasingly turn to diversified markets amid shifting global dynamics, China's trade with economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative rose 4.7 percent on a yearly basis to reach 11.29 trillion yuan from January to June, accounting for 51.8 percent of its total foreign trade, according to the GAC.