China posts $1.04 trillion trade surplus in first ten months
China’s trade surplus reached about $1.04 trillion for the first ten months of 2026, with the October monthly surplus around $105 billion. Exports rose 35.2 percent year‑on‑year to $412.3 billion, while imports grew 41.6 percent to $307.1 billion. Exports to the United States jumped roughly 33 percent. The country also extended its trade truce with Washington by two months and President Xi Jinping will meet President Donald Trump at the upcoming APEC summit in China.
Key facts
- The surplus topped $1 trillion a month earlier than in 2025.
- Global demand for AI products is driving the export surge.
- The EU has agreed to limit Chinese hybrid‑vehicle exports to the bloc.
- Analyst Zhiwei Zhang says exporters are the main engine of China’s economy this year.
- China is on track to exceed last year’s record surplus of $1.2 trillion.
Summarised with AI from 5 sources · Updated 02:10Read our AI policy
Why it matters
The large surplus highlights China’s export‑driven growth and may shape trade talks with the US and EU.
What changed
Summary updated
CNA, Euronews, The Hindu and Tagesschau joined as sources
First published from CNBC