China June exports surge 27% as AI demand and tariff rush lift trade

China’s June 2026 trade data beat expectations, with exports rising 27% year on year and imports climbing 36%, as booming AI-related trade, resilient overseas demand and higher import costs helped drive a wider surplus. Customs data showed the trade surplus reached $125.6 billion in June, up from $105.4 billion in May. Wang Jun, vice minister of China’s General Administration of Customs, said trade in electronic components, computer spare parts and other computing hardware rose nearly 57% to 5.1 trillion yuan ($760 billion) in the first half, highlighting the impact of rapid AI adoption. Analysts also pointed to a surge in semiconductor prices and continued strength in exports of vehicles, especially EVs, and other technology products. Exports to Southeast Asia in June jumped nearly 35% from a year earlier, while shipments to the European Union, Latin America and the United States also rose. The figures reinforced the role of export manufacturing in offsetting weak domestic spending, soft investment and a prolonged property downturn, even as officials and analysts warned that rising trade barriers and regulatory risks could make export growth more fragile in the second half of the year. Investors are watching China’s second-quarter GDP data and broader policy signals to assess whether external demand can continue to support growth.