Anabelle Colaco
10 May 2026

LONDON/BEIJING: China's exports grew much faster than expected in April, while imports also remained strong, widening the country's trade surplus ahead of a high-stakes visit by U.S. President Donald Trump to Beijing next week.

Customs data released on May 9 showed exports rose 14.1 percent from a year earlier in U.S. dollar terms, sharply higher than March's 2.5 percent increase and well above economists' forecasts for a 7.9 percent gain.

Imports climbed 25.3 percent in April, following a 27.8 percent rise in March and exceeding expectations for a 15.2 percent increase.

The stronger trade performance pushed China's monthly trade surplus to $84.8 billion, up from $51.13 billion in March.

China's trade surplus with the United States has widened to $87.7 billion so far this year.

Analysts said manufacturers benefited from strong demand in artificial intelligence-related industries and from customers seeking to build inventories amid concerns that the war in Iran could drive up energy and input costs.

"The conflict in the Middle East pushed up demand for global manufacturing inventory replenishment, and under the upward cycle of semiconductors, imports and exports maintained a boom," according to Xing Zhaopeng.

"There is still room for expansion in this round of manufacturing cycle driven by AI, and it is expected that the annual export growth rate will be about 10 percent."

Separate factory activity data released last month showed new export orders reached their highest level in two years.

The figures suggest China's economy maintained solid momentum in the first quarter, when gross domestic product expanded five percent from a year earlier, matching the upper end of the government's full-year target range.

That performance has reduced pressure on Beijing to roll out immediate stimulus measures.

Still, economists warned that China remains vulnerable to weakening global demand if the conflict in the Middle East drags on and higher fuel and transport costs erode consumers' purchasing power.

Retail sales have continued to lag industrial production, while unemployment has edged higher, underscoring ongoing weakness in domestic consumption.

Trump is scheduled to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on May 14 and May 15 as both countries seek to stabilize relations strained by disputes over trade, Taiwan, and the war in Iran.

Analysts do not expect breakthroughs, but investors will watch closely for any signs of new trade concessions or an extension of last year's trade truce.

After facing steep U.S. tariffs last year, Chinese exporters sought to diversify into markets such as South America, helping China post a record trade surplus of $1.2 trillion in 2025.