Today's Edition
BEIJING (dpa)
China's exports rose more than expected in April despite escalating trade tensions with the United States, even as bilateral trade with Washington saw a steep decline.
Exports increased by 8.1% year-on-year in dollar terms, the Chinese customs authority said on Friday. Imports dipped slightly by 0.2%, leaving a trade surplus of $96 billion for the month.
The figures came in well above market expectations. Economists had anticipated weaker export growth and a sharper drop in imports. In March, Chinese exports had already surged by 12.4%, which analysts attributed to stockpiling ahead of anticipated US tariffs.
Trade with the US, however, plummeted following a wave of new tariffs introduced in April. US President Donald Trump imposed additional duties of up to 145% on Chinese goods, prompting Beijing to retaliate with its own tariffs of up to 125% on US imports.
Both sides, however, have issued exemptions for items seen as critical, such as certain electronics, to limit the economic fallout.
As a result, Chinese exports to the US fell by 21% in April from a year earlier, while imports from the US declined by 13.8%, according to official data.
According to Max Zenglein, chief economist at the Berlin-based Mercator Institute for China Studies, Beijing has been preparing for a potential escalation with the US in recent years. However, the renewed flare-up in trade tensions carries "massive risks" for the global economy, including Germany, he warned.
China's trade with Germany showed a sharp divergence in April, with exports jumping 20.4% year-on-year while imports dropped by 12.2%.
Imports from the European Union as a whole fell by 16.5%.
Zenglein noted that Beijing is using the current global disruptions to position itself as a more reliable economic partner, contrasting its approach with Washington's confrontational stance.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently promoted closer cooperation during visits to countries including Russia, Vietnam and Malaysia.
