China's foreign trade reaches new heights, data shows

China's foreign trade reached 11.84 trillion yuan ($1.74 trillion) in the first quarter of 2026 - surpassing 11 trillion yuan for the first time on record over the same period - with year-on-year growth holding at 15 percent, data released by the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

The country's exports maintained steady growth momentum, rising 11.9 percent year-on-year to 6.85 trillion yuan, while imports climbed 19.6 percent on a yearly basis to a record 4.99 trillion yuan for the period, outpacing export growth by 7.7 percentage points.

China's exports of mechanical and electrical products amounted to 4.34 trillion yuan between January and March, surging 18.3 percent year-on-year.

Over the same period, China's trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations rose 15.4 percent year-on-year, while trade with the European Union surged 14.6 percent on a yearly basis and trade with economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative grew 14.2 percent year-on-year.