Global Export Rise: China Strengthens Trade Beyond US Markets
China recorded a global export rise in November as demand from non US markets picked up sharply. This shift helped manufacturers find new opportunities despite the impact of high US tariffs. The trend also signalled growing confidence in markets across Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
Exports Beat Expectations
China’s outbound shipments grew 5.9% year on year. This increase surprised analysts, who had predicted slower expansion. The rebound also marked a clear turnaround from the 1.1% drop seen in the previous month.
Imports also improved. They rose 1.9%, compared with a smaller gain in October. However, economists had expected even stronger momentum, forecasting a 3% rise.
Experts say the improvement comes mainly from stronger trade ties outside the United States. According to Xu Tianchen from the Economist Intelligence Unit, demand from Europe, Africa, and Latin America stood out. As a result, these regions helped offset weak sales to the US.
Shipments to the United States fell 29% in November. This decline came even after both countries agreed to ease some tariffs following the Trump Xi meeting in South Korea. Economists estimate that reduced access to the US market has cut China’s export growth by about two percentage points, equal to roughly 0.3% of GDP.
Manufacturers Face Mixed Signals
The sharp fall in US bound shipments followed earlier attempts by exporters to send goods ahead of new tariffs. That strategy worked temporarily, but it no longer provides the same advantage.
Some factory owners reported slight improvement in new export orders during November. However, the orders still remained in contraction. This shows that many manufacturers continue to navigate uncertainty as they attempt to replace lost demand from the US.
Another official survey painted a similar picture. It revealed that China’s broader manufacturing activity contracted for the eighth straight month. The slowdown suggests challenges remain, even as companies find success in new global markets.
China’s trade surplus widened to $111.68 billion in November. This increase came from stronger exports and slower import growth. The figure beat expectations and rose from $90.07 billion in October.
The latest data highlights both resilience and risk. China is expanding global ties, yet manufacturers must still adapt to shifting trade patterns in a changing world.
