China Trade Hits CNY 39.9 Trillion in First Three Quarters

China Reports Strong Trade Growth in the First Three Quarters of 2026

On October 14, the State Council Information Office (SCIO) of China held a press conference presenting customs data on the country's imports and exports during the first three quarters of 2026. Total trade in goods reached CNY 39.9 trillion, an increase of 18.8% year over year. Exports rose 16.4% to CNY 23.2 trillion, while imports climbed 22.3% to CNY 16.7 trillion. These figures indicate expansion on both sides of merchandise trade, with imports growing faster than exports over the reported period. The data also show that overall trade activity strengthened as the year progressed, setting the context for the country's export performance, imports of goods, and regional commercial relationships.

Quarterly and Monthly Trade Growth Accelerates

Trade growth gathered momentum across the first three quarters of 2026. Imports and exports increased 15.3% year over year in the first quarter and 18.3% in the second quarter, before the growth rate accelerated to 22.3% in the third quarter. On a monthly basis, the country recorded double-digit year-over-year growth in imports and exports for six consecutive months. September's total reached CNY 5.2 trillion, exceeding CNY 5 trillion for the first time. According to the figures presented at the press conference, the first three quarters delivered the fastest trade growth for the same period in the previous five years, while quarterly and monthly growth rates showed an overall accelerating trend.

Exports Benefit From Equipment Manufacturing

Equipment manufacturing played a leading role in export expansion during the first three quarters of 2026, contributing nearly 90% of the increase in exports. The composition of outbound shipments also reflected a shift toward products described as smarter and greener. Integrated circuit exports surged 99.1% year over year, making them a particularly strong performer among the reported categories. The figures point to the importance of manufacturing capabilities and technology-related products in the country's export growth. However, the supplied data do not provide the absolute value of integrated circuit exports or a breakdown of the contribution from individual equipment-manufacturing subsectors, so the reported growth rates should not be interpreted as a complete measure of each category's overall export value.

Green Product Exports Record Double-Digit Growth

Exports of several green product categories increased substantially during the same period. Electric vehicles (EVs) rose 72.3% year over year, lithium batteries grew 36.4%, and wind turbines and their parts increased 22.4%. These results support the broader trend identified at the press conference: exports are increasingly shifting toward smarter and greener products. The reported percentages measure growth in the respective export categories and do not establish their individual shares of total exports. The figures also do not specify destination markets, shipment volumes, average selling prices, or the factors behind each category's performance. Even with those limits, the reported gains identify EVs, lithium batteries, and wind energy equipment as notable contributors to the changing composition of exports.

Trade With APEC Economies Expands

Trade between China and other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economies reached CNY 24.1 trillion in the first three quarters of 2026, rising 23.9% year over year. This trade represented 60.3% of the country's total imports and exports, an increase of 2.5 percentage points from the same period a year earlier. The figures demonstrate the importance of the wider APEC region to merchandise trade. They also show that trade with these economies grew faster than the overall 18.8% rate reported for total trade in goods. The supplied figures do not provide a country-by-country breakdown, so they cannot establish which individual APEC economies contributed the most to the increase.

Electronics, Automotive, and Machinery Supply Chains Strengthen

According to the press conference, China and other APEC economies have gradually developed innovation chains in electronics, automotive, and machinery industries. These arrangements are characterized by complementary strengths and close cooperation, supporting growth in both imports and exports of high-tech products. The description connects regional trade performance with production and innovation relationships that operate across economies rather than within a single national market. It also provides context for the reported expansion in technology-related exports, including integrated circuits and green products. The source does not identify individual companies, specific supply-chain projects, or the precise contribution of each industry, so the available evidence supports a broad account of regional industrial cooperation rather than conclusions about particular businesses or transactions.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The reported figures suggest that manufacturing exporters, technology suppliers, and businesses operating across APEC markets are participating in an expanding regional trade environment, with equipment manufacturing and green products playing prominent roles in export growth. The faster increase in imports than exports may also matter to companies supplying goods to the Chinese market, although the data do not identify the products responsible for that import growth. For automotive and battery-related businesses, the 72.3% increase in EV exports and 36.4% rise in lithium battery exports highlight the significance of these categories within the broader trade shift. Future assessment will depend on subsequent customs releases and more detailed product- and destination-level data, which would help determine whether the reported growth rates continue and how gains are distributed across markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did China's total trade in goods reach in the first three quarters of 2026?
China's total trade in goods reached CNY 39.9 trillion in the first three quarters of 2026, representing an 18.8% year-over-year increase. Exports accounted for CNY 23.2 trillion, up 16.4%, while imports reached CNY 16.7 trillion, up 22.3%. These figures were presented at an October 14 press conference held by the State Council Information Office. The reported totals cover trade in goods and describe the performance across the first nine months of 2026, rather than a full-year result.

How did trade growth change across the first three quarters of 2026?
Trade growth accelerated through the first three quarters of 2026, rising from 15.3% year over year in the first quarter to 18.3% in the second quarter. The growth rate then reached 22.3% in the third quarter. Monthly imports and exports also recorded double-digit year-over-year growth for six consecutive months. In September, total trade reached CNY 5.2 trillion, exceeding CNY 5 trillion for the first time. The press conference described the period's growth as the fastest for the same three-quarter period in five years.

Which product categories recorded strong export growth?
Integrated circuits and several green product categories recorded strong export growth during the first three quarters of 2026, according to the customs figures presented at the press conference. Integrated circuit exports increased 99.1% year over year, while electric vehicle exports rose 72.3%. Lithium battery exports grew 36.4%, and exports of wind turbines and their parts increased 22.4%. These percentages show growth in the individual categories, but the supplied information does not provide their absolute export values, shipment volumes, or shares of total exports.

What role did equipment manufacturing play in export growth?
Equipment manufacturing contributed nearly 90% of the increase in exports during the first three quarters of 2026, making it a leading contributor to the reported expansion. The press conference also highlighted a shift toward smarter and greener exported products, including integrated circuits, electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and wind turbines and their parts. The available figures establish the sector's reported contribution to export growth but do not identify individual manufacturers or break down the contribution by equipment-manufacturing subsector. They therefore indicate the sector's overall importance without quantifying the performance of particular companies.

How significant was trade with other APEC economies?
Trade with other Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies reached CNY 24.1 trillion in the first three quarters of 2026, increasing 23.9% year over year. This represented 60.3% of total imports and exports, a rise of 2.5 percentage points from the corresponding period a year earlier. The figures indicate that other APEC economies accounted for a substantial share of trade and that their trade growth exceeded the overall 18.8% increase in goods trade. The supplied information does not include individual country figures or a breakdown by product category.

What does the report say about regional automotive and technology supply chains?
The report describes increasingly close cooperation between China and other APEC economies in electronics, automotive, and machinery, where complementary strengths have supported the development of innovation chains. It links these relationships with growth in both imports and exports of high-tech products. This provides context for the region's expanding trade and the strong reported performance of selected technology and green product categories. However, the report does not name specific supply-chain partnerships, companies, or projects, and it does not quantify the separate contribution of automotive cooperation to total trade growth.