Chinese-made cars are seen in specialised vehicle racks in preparation for loading onto ships for export, at the Taicang Port area of Suzhou Port, in China’s eastern Jiangsu province on October 12, 2026.
– | Afp | Getty Images
BEIJING — China’s exports likely grew by 25.5% in September from a year ago, picking up modestly from the prior month, according to a Reuters poll ahead of the expected Wednesday data release.
Imports for September were forecast to slow to 24.5% year-on-year growth, down from 28.2% in August, the poll showed.
Earlier this year, China’s exports and imports each grew at their fastest pace in five years.
A surge in demand for China-made parts for data centers to power artificial intelligence has helped fuel exports, along with stabilization in tensions with the U.S., China’s largest trading partner on a single-country basis.
Global scrutiny on the economic impact of China’s surging exports has escalated in recent years, amid sluggish domestic demand. AI-related demand and a coinciding rise in prices of core products have also helped support import growth.
The U.S. and China last month announced plans to roll back tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods from each country, and extend a broader trade truce by two months to January.
The European Union last week announced China agreed to halve its exports of hybrid-powered cars to the bloc, following high-level trade talks in Beijing.
