Group 1: Export Performance - In July, China's exports in USD terms increased by 7.2% year-on-year, slightly below the forecast of 7.5% but exceeding Bloomberg's expectation of 5.4%[3] - The month-on-month export growth was -1.1%, which is below the historical average of approximately 3.3% over the past decade, indicating a weaker performance compared to historical trends[4] - The resilience of exports is notable despite the significant tariffs imposed by the US, with cumulative year-on-year growth reaching 6.1% as of July, surpassing the 5.8% growth expected for 2024[7] Group 2: Import Dynamics - July imports also exceeded expectations, with a year-on-year growth of 4.1%, significantly higher than the forecast of -1% and the previous month's growth of 1.1%[6] - The primary contributors to the import growth were raw materials and intermediate goods, including crude oil, copper ore, and integrated circuits, with "other unspecified goods" contributing 4.5 percentage points to the import growth[6] - The sustainability of this import growth remains uncertain, particularly as commodity prices decline and manufacturing PMI import indices remain below the threshold, indicating potential downward pressure on future import growth[6] Group 3: Regional Export Insights - The strongest export growth was observed in three regions: ASEAN, Africa, and the EU, which collectively contributed 6 percentage points to the year-on-year export growth in July[4] - Exports to the EU have been recovering in line with the manufacturing cycle in the Eurozone, with growth rates for exports to the EU maintaining around 9%-10% since March[7] - Exports to Africa showed the highest growth, particularly in vehicles and parts, with year-on-year growth soaring from 52.3% in April to 82.9% in June, significantly boosting overall export performance to Africa[6] Group 4: Future Outlook - The overall outlook for exports suggests potential adjustments in the second half of the year, with external demand expected to slow down and the impact of high base effects in the fourth quarter likely to exert downward pressure on year-on-year growth rates[6] - Leading indicators from G7 countries suggest that China's export growth may range between 3%-4% for the year, with a potential slowdown to 0%-2% in the latter half[6] - The combination of external demand pressures and high base effects could lead to a challenging environment for maintaining current export growth levels[6]