China's exports jump 25% in August, widening the trade surplus to $119 billion

China's exports rose 25% in August 2026 from a year earlier, to $401.44 billion, according to customs data reported on 8 September. July's increase had been close to 24%.

The main figures

• Exports: $401.44 billion, up 25%
• Imports: $282.36 billion, up 28.2%, slightly below forecasts
• Trade surplus: $119.1 billion, up from $112.5 billion in July

What drove the increase

Exports of autos grew 43% from a year earlier and semiconductor exports rose 129.8%, as demand linked to the global build-out of artificial intelligence infrastructure continued to lift trade across Asia.

Shipments to the United States rose 34.4%, pushing China's surplus with the US above $29 billion.

Why currency traders follow China's trade data

China is the largest buyer of many commodities, so its import and export numbers are read as a gauge of global demand. The Australian dollar and New Zealand dollar are especially sensitive, because iron ore, coal, LNG and dairy make up a large share of their exports. Strong Chinese trade figures tend to support those currencies, while a slowdown weighs on them.

A widening surplus also feeds into trade tensions. Economists have increasingly called for China to rebalance its economy towards domestic demand, a debate that can influence policy decisions and the yuan.