China's trade surplus tops $1 trillion again as AI boom lifts exports
China's goods trade surplus passed $1 trillion in the first ten months of 2026, according to customs data released on 10 November, after October exports jumped 35.2% and imports 41.6% in dollar terms. Demand for AI hardware drove much of the growth, sharpening trade tensions ahead of next week's APEC summit in Shenzhen.
Kabeer Ahmad9 min read