According to customs statistics, in the first eight months of 2025, China's goods trade continued to maintain a stable growth trend, with a total value of imports and exports reaching 29.57 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 3.5%. Among them, exports were 17.61 trillion yuan, an increase of 6.9%; imports were 11.96 trillion yuan, a decrease of 1.2%, with the decline rate narrowing by 0.4 percentage points compared to the previous seven months. In August, China's total value of goods trade imports and exports was 3.87 trillion yuan, an increase of 3.5%. Among them, exports were 2.3 trillion yuan, an increase of 4.8%; imports were 1.57 trillion yuan, an increase of 1.7%, with exports and imports achieving double growth for three consecutive months.

The main characteristics of China's imports and exports in the first eight months:

1. Growth in General Trade and Processing Trade Exports and Imports

In the first eight months, China's general trade exports and imports reached 18.89 trillion yuan, increasing by 2.2%, accounting for 63.9% of the country's total foreign trade volume; processing trade exports and imports amounted to 5.34 trillion yuan, growing by 6.1%, accounting for 18.1%; and imports and exports through bonded logistics methods reached 4.23 trillion yuan, increasing by 5.6%.

2. Growth in Imports and Exports to ASEAN and the EU

In the first eight months, ASEAN was our largest trading partner. Our total trade with ASEAN amounted to 4.93 trillion yuan, increasing by 9.7% and accounting for 16.7% of our total foreign trade. The EU was our second largest trading partner, with a total trade value of 3.88 trillion yuan, growing by 4.3% and accounting for 13.1% of our total foreign trade. The United States was our third largest trading partner, with a total trade value of 2.73 trillion yuan, decreasing by 13.5% and accounting for 9.2% of our total foreign trade. During the same period, our total imports and exports to the countries participating in the "Belt and Road Initiative" amounted to 15.3 trillion yuan, increasing by 5.4%.

3. Growth in Imports and Exports of Private Enterprises and Foreign-Invested Enterprises

In the first eight months, the imports and exports of private enterprises reached 16.89 trillion yuan, increasing by 7.4%, accounting for 57.1% of China's total foreign trade volume, up by 2.1 percentage points compared with the same period last year; the imports and exports of foreign-invested enterprises were 8.59 trillion yuan, increasing by 2.3%, accounting for 29.1% of China's total foreign trade volume; the imports and exports of state-owned enterprises were 4.02 trillion yuan, decreasing by 8.1%, accounting for 13.6% of China's total foreign trade volume.

4. Mechanical and electrical products account for over 60% of exports, and the exports of integrated circuits and automobiles have shown significant growth. 

In the first eight months, China's exports of mechanical and electrical products reached 10.6 trillion yuan, increasing by 9.2%, accounting for 60.2% of the total exports. Among them, automatic data processing equipment and its components reached 946.59 billion yuan, increasing by 0.6%; integrated circuits reached 905.18 billion yuan, increasing by 23.3%; automobiles reached 605.23 billion yuan, increasing by 11.9%. During the same period, exports of labor-intensive products amounted to 2.75 trillion yuan, decreasing by 1.5%, accounting for 15.6% of the total exports. Among them, clothing and clothing accessories reached 738 billion yuan, decreasing by 0.7%; textiles reached 678.75 billion yuan, increasing by 2.6%; plastic products reached 500.4 billion yuan, increasing by 0.6%. Exports of agricultural products amounted to 472.55 billion yuan, increasing by 2%.

5. Prices of major bulk commodities declined while imports of mechanical and electrical products increased. 

In the first eight months, China imported 802 million tons of iron ore, a decrease of 1.6%; the average import price dropped by 14.1%; crude oil was imported at 376 million tons, an increase of 2.5%; the average price dropped by 12.9%; coal was imported at 300 million tons, a decrease of 12.2%; natural gas was imported at 819.13 million tons, a decrease of 5.9%; the average price dropped by 7.1%; soybeans were imported at 733.12 million tons, an increase of 4%; the average price dropped by 11.9%; refined oil was imported at 267.33 million tons, a decrease of 17.8%; the average price dropped by 3.9%. Additionally, 179.18 million tons of primary-shaped plastics were imported, a decrease of 6.8%; unrolled copper and copper products were imported at 353.6 million tons, a decrease of 2.1%; the average price rose by 5%. During the same period, imports of mechanical and electrical products reached 4.72 trillion yuan, an increase of 5.2%.

（SMM）