​SCIO briefing on China's imports, exports in H1 2025

South China Morning Post:

How did cross-border e-commerce exports perform in the first half of the year? What has been the impact since the United States imposed additional tariffs on small parcels imported from China? What is the export situation for cross-border e-commerce goods to markets outside the U.S.? Thank you.

Lyu Daliang:

Thank you for your questions. According to China's statistical survey system for cross-border e-commerce, statistical surveys are conducted on a semi-annual and annual basis. The official statistics for cross-border e-commerce in the first half of the year will be released in October. Therefore, I will provide a preliminary estimate for now. In the first half of the year, China's cross-border e-commerce imports and exports totaled about 1.32 trillion yuan, up 5.7% year on year. Exports accounted for about 1.03 trillion yuan, up 4.7%, while imports totaled approximately 291.1 billion yuan, an increase of 9.3%. For detailed breakdowns by major markets, commodities and other key aspects, please refer to the official data that will be released in October.

I would also like to clarify that cross-border e-commerce statistics are essentially grouped statistics, meaning they separate cross-border e-commerce imports and exports from the total import and export figures. The monthly, quarterly and annual import and export data we release all include cross-border e-commerce imports and exports.

Cross-border e-commerce serves as a digital bridge that rapidly connects producers and consumers across countries. It is also an important trend in the development of international trade and is increasingly becoming an indispensable part of people's daily lives. You mentioned that some countries impose artificial restrictions on cross-border e-commerce. We believe these measures cannot undermine the inherent strengths of cross-border e-commerce, nor can they halt the ongoing digital transformation of international trade. We are willing to work with countries around the world to strengthen cooperation and exchanges and promote the healthy, sustainable development of cross-border e-commerce. Thank you.