China’s trade activity picked up sharply at the start of 2026, with both exports and imports rising at their fastest pace in several years as demand for semiconductors and electronics strengthened global shipments.
Official trade figures show that China’s exports, measured in US dollar terms, increased by 21.8 percent year on year across January and February. The pace marks the strongest rise in at least three years and stands well above the 6.6 percent increase recorded in December.
Imports also climbed, rising 19.8 percent compared with the same period a year earlier. That compares with a 5.7 percent rise in December, pointing to stronger domestic demand for foreign goods and raw materials at the start of the year.
The combined rise in exports and imports pushed China’s trade surplus higher. The surplus expanded by 26 percent year on year in the first two months of 2026, reaching about 213.6 billion US dollars.
Trade data indicates that semiconductor shipments played a central role in the latest export surge. Exports of chips rose 66.5 percent from a year earlier, marking the fastest increase in more than a decade. The figures highlight continued global demand for electronics components used in consumer devices, industrial systems and data infrastructure.
Several regional markets recorded strong growth in shipments from China. Exports to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, widely known as ASEAN, increased by 29.4 percent. Shipments to Europe rose by 27.8 percent, while exports to South Korea climbed 27 percent over the same period.
Trade with these markets has become increasingly important for China’s export sector in recent years. Southeast Asia in particular has developed into one of China’s largest trading partners as supply chains across the region become more closely connected.
The rise in imports suggests that Chinese manufacturers are also purchasing larger volumes of components and materials from overseas. Economists often view stronger imports as an indicator that domestic production and consumption are gaining pace.
Semiconductors sit at the centre of many global supply chains, linking manufacturers across Asia, Europe and North America. Demand for chips has been influenced by expansion in sectors such as artificial intelligence, cloud computing and electric vehicles. These industries require large volumes of advanced components, many of which move through Asian manufacturing networks before reaching final markets.
Despite the strong figures at the start of the year, analysts often caution that trade performance can fluctuate from month to month due to seasonal factors, shipping cycles and changes in global demand. The January to February period is also influenced by the timing of the Lunar New Year holiday, which can shift production and export schedules.
Even so, the latest numbers point to renewed momentum in China’s external trade after a period of uneven activity across parts of 2024 and 2025. Manufacturing output and technology related exports appear to be contributing heavily to the early year results.
For global markets, the rise in semiconductor shipments may offer another signal of recovering demand across electronics supply chains. Much of the world’s chip manufacturing, assembly and testing activity runs through Asian economies, which means movements in Chinese export data often reflect broader trends in the technology sector.
Whether the current pace continues through the rest of the year will depend on global demand conditions, supply chain stability and trade relations with major partners. For the moment, early 2026 trade data shows China’s export machine gaining speed again, with semiconductors playing a central role in the latest surge.
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