China has reported the largest trade surplus in global history, underlining the resilience of its export machine despite a year of disruption caused by Donald Trump’s tariffs and trade brinkmanship.
Official figures released in Beijing show China recorded a full-year trade surplus of $1.19 trillion (£890bn) in 2025, the first time the country’s surplus has exceeded the $1tn mark. The figure comfortably surpassed the previous record of $993bn set in 2024.
Monthly data highlights the scale of China’s export dominance. Export surpluses exceeded $100bn in seven separate months last year, suggesting that while trade with the United States weakened, Chinese exporters were able to redirect goods to other markets with remarkable speed.
Trade flows to South East Asia, Africa and Latin America rose sharply, offsetting the impact of tariffs imposed by Washington. Exports to Europe also held up better than many analysts expected, reinforcing Beijing’s long-standing argument that the US is now just one of many destinations for Chinese goods.
Wang Jun, deputy director of China’s customs authority, described the figures as “extraordinary and hard-won” given what he called “profound changes” in the global trade environment. He pointed to strong growth in exports of green technology, artificial intelligence-related products and robotics as key drivers.
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