China’s Foreign Trade Resilient in First Half

Summary

China's goods trade totalled 25.4686 trillion yuan in the first half of 2026, up 16.9 percent year on year, Zhou Mi, a researcher at the Ministry of Commerce, said at the Mid-2026 Economic Situation Analysis Conference.

Commentary

China's foreign trade grew 16.9 percent year on year in the first half, with imports rising 22.1 percent, far outpacing exports. This structural shift presents new opportunities for New Zealand exporters. As beneficiaries of the upgraded China-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement, NZ dairy, meat and wood exports to China are likely to increase as Chinese domestic demand expands.

Notably, private enterprises contributed 57 percent of total trade, indicating active small and medium-sized Chinese importers. NZ SMEs can leverage cross-border e-commerce platforms to connect with these flexible buyers, lowering market entry barriers. Meanwhile, the surge in mechanical and electrical product exports means Chinese-made equipment and components continue to gain market share in New Zealand, prompting local distributors to adjust their product mix.

Trade growth of 14.8 percent with Belt and Road countries offers additional opportunities. As the first developed country to sign a Belt and Road cooperation document with China, New Zealand companies may find synergies in logistics and infrastructure services. Understanding shifts in China's import composition and focusing on differentiated competition in high-value consumer goods are key for NZ SMEs to sustain their business in China.

Keywords: China's foreign trade H1, total imports and exports, year-on-year growth, structural optimisation, regional balance, private enterprises, mechanical and electrical products, Belt and Road, June data

Source: China Development Network