China Brief
Briefing
EconomyPeople's Daily Online (人民网)

China's foreign trade tops 30 trillion yuan in first seven months, maintaining steady growth

超30万亿元 我国外贸延续良好增长态势

China's total goods trade reached 30.13 trillion yuan in the first seven months of 2026, an increase of 17.3% compared to the same period last year, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on August 7. Exports grew by 14% to 17.44 trillion yuan, while imports rose 22% to 12.69 trillion yuan. The People's Daily report frames the figures as evidence that the economy is 'withstanding pressure and moving forward' while becoming more innovation-driven and structurally optimized.

The view from inside

The report embeds the trade data within a narrative of economic resilience and qualitative improvement, using the phrase '顶压前行、向新向优' (dǐng yā qián xíng, xiàng xīn xiàng yōu — advancing under pressure, trending toward…

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