Despite mounting global headwinds, China's exports demonstrated robust and steady growth in 2025, underpinned by a strategic diversification of trade partners and enhanced innovation capabilities across the manufacturing sector.

Official data released on Wednesday revealed that China's total export value reached 26.99 trillion yuan (about 3.87 trillion U.S. dollars) in 2025, marking a 6.1-percent increase year on year. Notably, exports of manufactured goods have grown for nine consecutive years.

On a monthly basis, China's exports followed a generally upward trajectory throughout the year, with only October recording a year-on-year decline.

The European Union ranked second, receiving 3.64 trillion yuan (about 522 billion U.S. dollars) worth of Chinese exports, a 8.9-percent increase from the same period in 2024.

Most significantly, exports to countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) totaled 12.34 trillion yuan (about 1.77 trillion U.S. dollars) from January to November in 2025, surging 11.3 percent year on year and accounting for more than half of China's total exports during the period.

This shift reflects a broader transition away from reliance on traditional Western markets toward a more balanced, globally diversified trade network, with Global South nations playing an increasingly pivotal role.

"In the first 11 months of 2025, China's exports to the United States saw a sharp decline of 18.3 percent. Despite this significant downturn, China's overall exports maintained steady growth, highlighting the remarkable resilience and robust vitality of the country's export sector. Firstly, a solid industrial foundation has strengthened the base for exports, as China's industries continue advancing toward higher-end, smarter, and greener development," said Yan Min, director of the economic forecast department at the State Information Center under the National Development and Reform Commission, the country's top economic planner.

"Secondly, enhanced innovation capabilities have boosted export competitiveness. China has significantly strengthened its capacities in sci-tech, industrial, and enterprise-level innovations. Companies are actively pioneering new foreign trade models, with service trade and digital trade providing strong support for goods exports. Thirdly, the diversification and expansion of export markets have effectively offset the shortfall in demand from the U.S. market," she said.

Structurally, China's export basket is climbing the value chain, with high-tech products commanding an expanding share of total shipments.

In the first 11 months of 2025, mechanical and electrical products accounted for 60.9 percent of China's total exports, serving as the "cornerstone" of its foreign trade.

Exports of integrated circuits grew by over 20 percent for eight consecutive months. Industrial robots saw simultaneous gains in both volume and unit value, while the so-called "new trio" -- electric vehicles (EVs), lithium-ion batteries, and photovoltaic products -- collectively posted export growth exceeding 20 percent.

"In 2025, China's new export models flourished. The growth rate of general trade exports exceeded that of processing trade by more than 5 percentage points, reflecting enhanced self-reliance and risk-controllability across the industrial chain. Cross-border e-commerce maintained steady growth, with its export volume surpassing 100 billion U.S. dollars, establishing itself as a new driver of China's foreign trade growth," said Yan.