China's exports and imports rise more than expected in June

China's exports and imports grew more than expected in June, driven by rising memory chip prices and increased global demand for equipment and machinery needed to run AI data centers.

Data from the General Administration of Customs released on Tuesday showed that exports recorded their highest annual growth rate in four months, while imports achieved their fastest growth rate in five years.

This resulted in China achieving a trade surplus of $125.6 billion, the second highest on record, up from $105.4 billion in May.

China's exports to the United States rose 13.8% year-on-year in June, while shipments to the European Union increased 18.5%, likely due to increased shipments of Chinese air conditioners amid the severe heatwaves in Europe.

Change in China's trade volume in June 2026

Item

Expectation

Previous change

Current change

Imports

24%

27.4%

36%

Exports

19%

19.4%

27%

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