"China Likely to Take a Tougher Stance in Trade Negotiations with the US"
China's trade performance last month exceeded market expectations. While trade volume with the United States declined, exports to regions such as Southeast Asia and Africa saw significant increases.
According to the General Administration of Customs of China on October 13, China's export value in September, measured in US dollars, reached 328.57 billion dollars, marking an 8.3% increase compared to the same month last year. This figure surpassed both the market forecast of 6.0% and the August export growth rate of 4.4%.
During the same period, imports in September amounted to 238.12 billion dollars, up by 7.4%. As a result, China's total trade volume for September 2025 reached 566.68 billion dollars, representing a 7.9% increase. For the entire period from January to September this year, exports grew by 6.1%, while imports decreased by 1.1%. The total trade volume for the first nine months of the year rose by 3.1% compared to last year.
This growth in China's September exports is attributed to Chinese manufacturers finding buyers outside the United States, despite lingering uncertainties over the US-China trade agreement. According to Bloomberg, China's exports to the United States in September dropped by 27% year-on-year, marking the sixth consecutive month of double-digit declines.
In contrast, exports to the European Union, which is currently engaged in trade disputes with China over electric vehicles and agricultural and livestock products, increased by about 14%. Exports to Africa surged by 56%, and exports to ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) countries also rose by approximately 16%. Societe Generale economist Michelle Lam stated, "Despite US tariffs, China has maintained resilience through a diversified export market and strong competitiveness," adding, "This appears to have empowered China to adopt a more assertive stance."
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