China posts $938 billion trade surplus driven by tech exports
China racked up a massive $938 billion trade surplus for the first nine months of 2026, with high-tech exports like semiconductors and cars helping fuel its rising shipments overseas.
September alone saw exports jump 36.3% compared with last year, putting China on pace to possibly break its previous record of $1.2 trillion.
China imports draw EU scrutiny
Imports also climbed by 31% in September, showing some economic strength even as China deals with weak local spending and a tough real estate market.
But this rapid growth is drawing attention, especially from the European Union, which is looking at ways to balance out trade and could make things trickier for China's exporters going forward.
As Ecaterina Bigos, a senior market strategist at BNP Paribas Asset Management, puts it, these outside pressures could be real hurdles for keeping up the export momentum.