2025年5月外贸数据点评：5月出口，贸易放缓的三个信号

Trade Data Overview - In May, China's exports amounted to a year-on-year increase of 4.8%, below the expected 6.2% and previous value of 8.1%[3] - Imports decreased by 3.4% year-on-year, significantly lower than the expected increase of 0.3%[8] Trade Slowdown Signals - The slowdown in trade is indicated by three main factors: 1. Preceding demand from the U.S. led to a front-loading of imports, which has since declined significantly since May[4] 2. The weakening of demand from the U.S. has reduced the support from ASEAN and Latin America for Chinese exports, with a marginal decline of 2.4 percentage points in export growth to these regions[6] 3. The negative year-on-year change in imports reflects the need for domestic demand recovery, which remains insufficient[5] U.S.-China Trade Dynamics - China's exports to the U.S. saw a further decline of 34.5% year-on-year, contrasting sharply with rising container shipping rates, indicating a lag in the impact of tariff adjustments[5] - The tariff "de-escalation" effects on U.S.-China trade have not yet fully manifested in May's data, suggesting potential improvements in June[5] Sector-Specific Insights - The export growth of mechanical and high-tech products has been consistently slowing, with integrated circuits benefiting from tariff exemptions[6] - The overall structure of exports is becoming increasingly differentiated, with significant variations in performance across different product categories[18] Domestic Demand and Import Trends - Domestic demand remains weak, as reflected in the CPI data, which shows a further drag from consumer goods compared to April[21] - The decline in imports is indicative of the ongoing challenges in domestic consumption recovery, with May's import figures falling short of expectations[8]