ASEAN continues to be China's largest trading partner

NDO - In the first two months of 2025, ASEAN-China two-way trade reached 1,030 billion yuan, accounting for 15.8% of China's total import and export turnover, up 4% over the same period last year, the 12th consecutive month of growth.

According to data released by the General Administration of Customs of China on March 7, in the first two months of 2025, the total value of imports and exports of goods reached 6,540 billion yuan (equivalent to 909.37 billion USD), down 1.2% over the same period last year. Of which, the export turnover reached 3,880 billion yuan (equivalent to 539.94 billion USD), up 3.4% over the same period last year, the highest level compared to the same period in previous years, the import turnover reached 2,660 billion yuan (equivalent to 369.43 billion USD), down 7.3% over the same period last year.

ASEAN continues to be China's largest trading partner. In the first two months of the year, ASEAN-China two-way trade reached 1.03 trillion yuan, up 4% year-on-year, accounting for 15.8% of China's total import and export turnover. This is the 12th consecutive month of growth. Of which, exports to ASEAN countries reached 626.68 billion yuan, up 6.8% year-on-year; imports from ASEAN countries reached 406.65 billion yuan, down 0.2% year-on-year. The European Union and the United States are China's second and third largest trading partners, with two-way imports reaching 833.34 billion and 733.67 billion yuan, respectively.

China's export momentum remains strong, with the export value of electromechanical products reaching 2.33 trillion yuan, up 5.4% year-on-year, accounting for 60% of the total export value. Of which, automatic data processing equipment and accessories, and integrated circuits all grew by over 10%.

After the Spring Festival, enterprises focused on restoring production, and China's February PMI index grew again. Demand for the production of general equipment and mechanical machinery also helped imports of equipment and spare parts increase sharply. In the first two months of this year, the import and export turnover of private enterprises reached 3.69 trillion yuan, up 2% year-on-year, accounting for 56.4% of China's total import and export turnover, of which the import and export turnover of high-tech products reached 624 billion yuan, accounting for 49.3% of the total export turnover of similar products.

Mr. Lu Daliang, Director of the General Administration of Customs' Statistics and Analysis Department, said that in the first two months of this year, localities proactively responded to adverse impacts from the external environment, so China's trade situation was generally stable.