SCIO briefing on China's imports, exports in Q1 2026

Beijing Radio and Television Station:

In the first quarter, China's exports maintained growth. Could you outline the main reasons for this? Thank you.

Wang Jun:

Thank you. In the first quarter, China's exports maintained double-digit growth. The main reasons can be summed up in two points: external demand remained robust, and we provided a high-quality, reasonably priced, stable, and reliable supply.

On one hand, external demand has picked up. According to S&P Global data, the global manufacturing PMI reached a 44-month high in February, and as of March, it had stayed above the boom-bust threshold for eight consecutive months. Among them, from January to March, the ASEAN index stayed above 51, France and the U.K. remained in the expansion zone, and Germany returned to the expansion zone in February. In the first quarter, China's exports to ASEAN grew by 17.5%, and exports to the EU and the U.K. grew by 18% and 15.3%, respectively. In addition, the rapid development of global artificial intelligence and green, low-carbon industries has driven a significant increase in demand for smart and green products.

On the other hand, China's supply has remained consistently stable and reliable. With a complete industrial support system, China continues to provide a stable and reliable supply for industrial development across countries, offering rich and diverse consumption choices for local residents. In the first quarter, China's exports of equipment manufacturing products reached 4.25 trillion yuan, an increase of 19.2%, accounting for more than 60% of the total export value. Among them, exports of computer and communication products, as well as railway and ship transport equipment, both increased by more than 20%. During the same period, exports of manufactured consumer goods and manufactured raw materials were 1.21 trillion yuan and 837.85 billion yuan respectively, accounting for 17.7% and 12.2% of the total export value. Meanwhile, through the deep integration of technological and industrial innovation, an increasing number of innovative products have been introduced to the market, stimulating new demand. For example, 3D printers and digital cameras are highly favored by overseas consumers. In the first quarter, China's exports of these products increased by 119% and 32.7% respectively. In another example, Chinese enterprises have built distributed power and microgrid projects in sub-Saharan Africa, providing a stable power supply for the local area. In the first quarter, China's exports of photovoltaic products to these regions increased 2.5 times, and exports of inverters, wires and cables, and other electrical equipment increased by 56.1%.

Overall, China's export growth reflects a combination of factors, including a recovery of external demand, a well-developed domestic industrial support system and rising enterprise innovation momentum. As "Made in China" continues to improve in quality, efficiency and service, it will better meet production and consumption needs across various fields and market segments worldwide.

Thank you.