China’s exports jumped 25% year-on-year in August, while imports rose 28.2%, as strong global demand for AI-related products helped drive another month of rapid trade growth.
Exports accelerated from 23.9% growth in July, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. However, the increase was slightly below the 25.9% forecast in a Bloomberg survey.
Imports also picked up from July’s 27.5% growth but fell short of the 31% economists had expected.
Demand for semiconductors, computing hardware and other technology products linked to the global AI boom has become an important driver of China’s trade this year.
Customs data showed that exports of computers and related parts rose 49.4% in the first eight months of the year.
Strong exports have provided important support for China’s economy as domestic activity remains weak. Electric vehicles, consumer goods and industrial equipment have also contributed to export growth.
“China continues to rely on the exporters to support the economy,” said Zhiwei Zhang, president and chief economist at Pinpoint Asset Management.
China’s growing trade surpluses with major partners have also become a political concern, with officials in several countries arguing that Chinese imports are putting pressure on domestic industries.
Zhang said the US government had raised concerns about trade imbalances at the G20 meeting.
Exports to the United States rose 34.4% in August, sharply higher than the 17% growth recorded in July.
The figures come ahead of an expected meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump in Washington this month, with trade likely to remain a key issue between the two countries.
The two sides have been through renewed trade tensions since Trump’s global tariff campaign last year. Washington and Beijing later eased some of the steep tariffs after China imposed major restrictions on exports of rare earths to the United States.
Despite the trade tensions, China recorded a record $1.1 trillion trade surplus last year.
Strong export growth to the European Union, Southeast Asia and Africa helped offset a sharp decline in shipments to the United States during the tariff dispute.
