China’s foreign trade expands 17.3% in first seven months; innovation becomes new growth driver

前 7 个月中国外贸增长 17.3%，创新成为新增长动能

Aerial view of Shanghai Port in Baoshan district, Shanghai Photo: VCG

上海宝山区上海港航拍图。图片来源：视觉中国（VCG）

China's goods trade imports and exports sustained a sound growth momentum in the first seven months, with the total value reaching 30.13 trillion yuan ($4.46 trillion) of 2026, up 17.3 percent year-on-year, extending sound growth trend. The deep integration of tech and industrial innovation is being steadily translated into new competitive strengths and fresh growth drivers for foreign trade, official data showed on Friday.

官方周五发布的数据显示，前 7 个月，中国货物贸易进出口保持良好增长势头，2026 年进出口总额达 30.13 万亿元人民币（折合 4.46 万亿美元），同比增长 17.3%，延续向好增长态势。科技创新与产业创新深度融合，正稳步转化为外贸新的竞争优势与增长动能。

During this period, the country's exports reached 17.44 trillion yuan, up 14 percent year-on-year, while imports stood at 12.69 trillion yuan, up 22 percent year-on-year, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

海关总署发布的数据显示，在此期间，我国出口额达 17.44 万亿元，同比增长 14%；进口额为 12.69 万亿元，同比增长 22%。

Since the start of this year, China's economy has progressed against pressure and moved toward higher-quality, innovation-driven growth, providing strong support for the growth in foreign trade.

今年以来，中国经济承压前行，迈向更高质量、创新驱动型增长，为外贸增长提供了有力支撑。

In July, the country's foreign trade sustained the solid momentum built in the first half, with its growth rate picking up by 2.3 percentage points compared with the first half, and the monthly import-export volume staying above 4 trillion yuan for the fifth consecutive month.

7 月份，我国外贸延续上半年良好发展势头，增速较上半年回升 2.3 个百分点，进出口总额连续 5 个月保持在 4 万亿元以上。

A major highlight is the shift in export mix toward innovation-driven and green products, according to CCTV news.

央视新闻称，一大亮点在于出口商品结构向创新型、绿色产品转变。

In the first seven months, China's exports of electromechanical products reached 11.12 trillion yuan, up 21.2 percent year-on-year, accounting for 63.8 percent of total exports and raising their share by 3.8 percentage points from a year earlier.

前 7 个月，我国机电产品出口 11.12 万亿元，同比增长 21.2%，占出口总值的 63.8%，所占比重较去年同期提升 3.8 个百分点。

Within the category, green and low-carbon products such as electric vehicles (EVs), lithium batteries, and wind turbine generator sets rose by 71.2 percent, 35.8 percent, and 34.8 percent, respectively. Exports of 3D printers, industrial robots, and ships came in at 11.2 billion yuan, 7.34 billion yuan, and 268.14 billion yuan, climbing 1.1 fold, 13.2 percent, and 32.7 percent, respectively, according to the GAC.

海关总署数据显示，在机电产品类别中，电动汽车、锂电池、风力发电机组等绿色低碳产品出口分别增长 71.2%、35.8% 和 34.8%。3D 打印机、工业机器人、船舶出口额分别为 112 亿元、73.4 亿元、2681.4 亿元，增幅依次为 1.1 倍、13.2% 和 32.7%。

China has become one of the countries with the fastest-rising innovation capacity in the world. The deep integration of sci-tech innovation with industrial innovation is steadily translating into new competitive strengths in foreign trade and fresh growth drivers. In July, exports of high-tech products grew by more than 50 percent year-on-year, contributing nearly 60 percent of the month's export increment, while exports of green and low-carbon products such as EVs and lithium batteries posted double-digit growth for the 17th consecutive month,according to CCTV news.

央视新闻称，中国已成为全球创新能力提升最快的国家之一。科技创新与产业创新深度融合，正稳步转化为外贸新竞争优势和新增长动能。7 月，高技术产品出口同比增长超 50%，贡献了当月出口增量的近 60%；电动汽车、锂电池等绿色低碳产品出口连续第 17 个月实现两位数增长。

China remains committed to openness, cooperation, and mutual benefit, sharing opportunities and pursuing common development with countries around the world. In the January-July period, the country's imports and exports grew with more than 180 countries and regions.

中国坚持开放、合作、共赢，同世界各国共享机遇、共谋发展。1-7 月，我国与 180 多个国家和地区实现进出口增长。

In the first seven months of 2026, China's total trade with ASEAN reached 5.14 trillion yuan, up 20 percent year-on-year; trade with the EU stood at 3.67 trillion yuan, up 9.5 percent year-on-year; and trade with the US came to 2.38 trillion yuan, down 1.6 percent year-on-year, according to the GAC.

海关总署数据显示，2026 年前 7 个月，中国与东盟贸易总额达 5.14 万亿元，同比增长 20%；与欧盟贸易额为 3.67 万亿元，同比增长 9.5%；与美国贸易额 2.38 万亿元，同比下降 1.6%。

Over the same period, China's combined imports and exports with Belt and Road partner countries totaled 15.36 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 15.5 percent, official data showed.

官方数据显示，同期中国与共建 “一带一路” 国家进出口合计达 15.36 万亿元，同比增长 15.5%。

Another distinctive feature is that the country's import growth continued to outpace export growth, according to CCTV news.

央视新闻称，另一显著特点是我国进口增速持续高于出口增速。

In the first seven months of 2026, China's imports of bulk commodities rose 3 percent year-on-year in volume, with imports of metal ores up 8.2 percent. Over the same period, imports of electromechanical products reached 5.31 trillion yuan, up 29.7 percent year-on-year, accounting for 41.9 percent of total import value.

2026 年前 7 个月，我国大宗商品进口量同比增长 3%，其中金属矿砂进口量增长 8.2%。同期，机电产品进口额达 5.31 万亿元，同比增长 29.7%，占进口总值的 41.9%。

China is proactively broadening its autonomous opening-up, voluntarily expanding imports, and promoting balanced development of exports and imports. To date, it has applied zero-tariff policies to 63 countries, and its import scale has ranked steadily second in the world for 17 consecutive years. In the first seven months, China's import growth was 8 percentage points faster than its export growth, allowing more quality products from around the world to enter the Chinese market and share in China's opportunities, according to the report.

报告称，中国正主动扩大自主开放，自愿扩大进口，推动进出口均衡发展。截至目前，中国已对 63 个国家实施零关税政策，进口规模连续 17 年稳居全球第二位。前 7 个月，我国进口增速比出口增速高出 8 个百分点，让更多全球优质产品进入中国市场，共享中国发展机遇。