China’s foreign trade reached what authorities describe as an all-time high in 2025, even as exports to the United States slumped under the weight of elevated tariffs and deepening geopolitical tensions.

Vice customs minister Wang Jun announced that the country’s total trade in goods surpassed 45 trillion yuan, or about 6.4 trillion dollars, crossing a symbolic threshold that Beijing is using to underscore the resilience of its export-driven economy.

According to official customs data, exports grew 6.1 percent from the previous year, while imports edged up 0.5 percent. The figures suggest that, despite a weaker global outlook and persistent trade frictions with Washington, demand for Chinese products remained robust in many parts of the world.

“Some country has politicised trade issues and limited high tech exports to China, if they hadn’t, we would have imported more,” Wang said at a press conference in Beijing, in a pointed but indirect reference to the United States and the tariff and technology restrictions that have defined the relationship in recent years.

The comments reflect a long-running narrative from Beijing: that China is a victim of protectionism and that its trade partners, particularly the US, are undermining the natural flow of commerce by using national security as a pretext for economic containment.

China’s customs data show that while overall exports rose, shipments to the US have been under pressure. Higher tariffs on a wide range of Chinese goods, first imposed under Donald Trump and largely maintained or reconfigured under subsequent administrations, have pushed some manufacturers to diversify production to Southeast Asia, Mexico and other locations. At the same time, US restrictions on advanced semiconductors and manufacturing equipment have constrained China’s ability to import certain high-tech products.

Wang argued that these measures have distorted trade patterns and reduced potential gains for both sides. He insisted that China remains willing to buy more from the US and other advanced economies, particularly in high-tech sectors, if export controls were eased.

Despite the friction, China’s export machine has continued to find markets elsewhere. Shipments to Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and parts of Africa have grown as Chinese companies deepen their presence in emerging economies. Many of these countries have become key buyers of Chinese machinery, electronics, vehicles, consumer goods and infrastructure-related equipment.

Analysts note that the headline growth in exports masks a more complex picture. Some of the increase reflects price effects and the rapid expansion of a few sectors, such as electric vehicles, batteries and solar equipment, where China has built dominant global positions. In other areas, particularly low-end manufacturing, competition from countries with cheaper labour has intensified, forcing Chinese firms to move up the value chain or relocate production.

Imports, meanwhile, have been weighed down by a slower domestic economy. The modest 0.5 percent rise in inbound shipments suggests that Chinese consumers and businesses remain cautious. Weakness in the property sector, subdued private investment and lingering effects of earlier pandemic disruptions have all dampened demand for foreign goods, from luxury items to industrial components.

Still, China continues to be a major buyer of commodities such as crude oil, iron ore and agricultural products, underpinning export revenues for suppliers from Brazil and Australia to Russia and the Gulf states. The country has also been importing more intermediate goods from Asian neighbours, reflecting the dense supply chains that criss-cross the region.

Looking ahead, Wang sought to project confidence, saying China’s market would “open more” and “still be an opportunity for the world” in 2026. The pledge aligns with Beijing’s broader message that it intends to keep integrating with the global economy, even as some Western governments talk of “de-risking” and reducing dependence on Chinese supply chains.

In recent years, China has signed or upgraded a series of trade and investment agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in Asia and bilateral deals with several developing countries. Officials present these moves as evidence that, while relations with the US and parts of Europe are strained, China is building a wider network of economic partners.

However, foreign businesses operating in China have voiced concerns about regulatory unpredictability, data and security rules, and the treatment of foreign firms in sensitive sectors. Surveys by international chambers of commerce have highlighted a more cautious mood, with some companies delaying or scaling back new investments.

Beijing has responded with a mix of incentives and assurances, promising equal treatment for foreign and domestic firms and unveiling measures to attract more overseas capital into manufacturing, high-tech industries and green development. The government has also repeatedly stressed that China’s vast consumer market remains a powerful draw for global brands.

The record trade figure gives Chinese leaders a talking point as they confront multiple economic challenges at home, including high local government debt, demographic pressures and the need to shift growth from investment and exports toward domestic consumption and services. Strong external demand has long been a stabilising force for the economy, helping to offset periods of internal weakness.

Yet reliance on exports also leaves China exposed to global downturns and policy shifts in key markets. The ongoing dispute with the US over tariffs, technology and industrial policy has injected a new level of uncertainty into long-term planning for Chinese manufacturers and their foreign partners.

Economists say that, while China’s trade performance in 2025 underscores its entrenched role in global supply chains, sustaining such momentum will require more than simply selling goods abroad. Upgrading technology, improving productivity, opening more sectors to competition and strengthening the rule of law are seen as crucial to maintaining competitiveness and attracting high-quality investment.

For now, Beijing is keen to highlight the headline success: a record trade volume that, in its view, demonstrates resilience in the face of external pressure. The underlying tensions with Washington, and the broader debate over how the world should engage with China’s economic rise, remain unresolved.