China’s foreign trade data for September revealed robust growth, with exports rising 8.3% and imports up 7.4% in dollar terms, both exceeding market expectations. This marks the eighth consecutive quarter of expansion, underscoring resilient trade performance.
High-tech and electromechanical products led the gains. In the first three quarters, electromechanical product exports reached RMB 12.07 trillion, up 9.6% year-over-year and accounting for 60.5% of total exports. Advanced equipment exports grew 22.4%, while electronics and instrumentation shipments increased 8.1% and 15.2%, respectively.
A standout performer was integrated circuits (ICs), with September exports hitting 32.32 billion units valued at RMB 135.96 billion—a 32.7% surge from a year earlier. This marks six straight months of growth above 20%, fueled by global AI computing demand and domestic substitution efforts. Imports of ICs totaled 55.54 billion units worth RMB 293.03 billion, reflecting a persistent trade deficit and strong domestic need for advanced chips.
Meanwhile, rare earth exports showed a volume-price divergence: September volume fell 4.3% to 4,000.3 tons, but value jumped 97.2% due to export controls and global supply adjustments.
ICgoodFind : Strong IC and electronics exports highlight China’s industrial upgrade, while shifting rare earth trends reinforce supply chain value optimization.
