Core Viewpoint - China's foreign trade data for December 2025 and the entire year shows a positive growth trend, with exports and imports both increasing, leading to a significant trade surplus. The data indicates that China maintains its position as the world's largest goods trader despite facing external uncertainties in 2026 [1][3][9]. Group 1: December 2025 Trade Data - In December 2025, China's total import and export value reached $601.42 billion, a year-on-year increase of 6.2%, with exports at $357.78 billion (up 6.6%) and imports at $243.64 billion (up 5.7%) [1][4]. - The trade surplus for December 2025 was $114.14 billion, reflecting strong export performance driven by seasonal demand and the global AI investment trend [1][4][5]. Group 2: Annual Trade Performance - For the entire year of 2025, China's total import and export value was $6.35 trillion, a 3.2% increase from the previous year, with exports at $3.77 trillion (up 5.5%) and imports at $2.58 trillion (flat) [2][3]. - The trade surplus for 2025 was $1.19 trillion, marking a historical high in trade value [2][3]. Group 3: Factors Influencing Trade Growth - The growth in December exports was supported by overseas seasonal stocking, demand from emerging markets, and the AI investment boom, particularly in the semiconductor industry [4][5]. - The shift in trade dynamics, with a focus on markets outside the U.S., has helped mitigate the impact of declining exports to the U.S. [6][10]. Group 4: Import Trends - December 2025 saw imports grow by 5.7%, driven by high processing trade ratios and a drop in international oil prices, which boosted domestic crude oil import demand [7][8]. - The annual import value reached a record high of 18.48 trillion yuan, maintaining China's position as the world's second-largest import market [8]. Group 5: Outlook for 2026 - The external environment for trade in 2026 is expected to remain challenging, with global trade growth projected to slow down significantly [9][10]. - Despite potential slowdowns, China's trade fundamentals are expected to remain solid, with continued resilience in exports and imports supported by domestic demand policies [9][10].