Kathmandu [Nepal], November 11 – China’s imports and exports rose 20 percent year on year to 44.81 trillion yuan (about 6.67 trillion US dollars) in the first 10 months of 2026 as AI-related demand supported exports, official data showed Tuesday.
The growth accelerated from 18.8 percent in January-September, according to the General Administration of Customs. Imports climbed 23.6 percent outpacing the 17.6 percent increase in exports. In October alone, goods trade expanded 31.2 percent. Both imports and exports recorded double-digit growth for a sixth consecutive month.
Lyu Daliang said imports from more than 150 countries and regions increased during the period with purchases from ASEAN, Latin America and Africa reaching record highs.
Exports of mechanical and electrical products rose 25.2 percent accounting for 64.7 percent of total exports. The global AI investment boom lifted demand and prices for chips, electronic components and computer parts, analyst Wang Qing said.
Exports of integrated circuits and memory components surged 101.9 percent and 132.5 percent respectively. Shipments of electric vehicles, photovoltaic products and lithium batteries – known as the “new three” grew 46.5 percent.
Trade with ASEAN increased 24.2 percent while trade with the European Union and the United States rose 8.5 percent and 6.3 percent, respectively.
