BEIJING – China's foreign trade demonstrated resilience in the first quarter of 2025, with total goods trade volume reaching 10.3 trillion yuan ($1.41 trillion), marking a 1.3 percent increase year-on-year, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC) on Monday. This figure represents a record high for the same period between January and March, exceeding 10 trillion yuan for the eighth consecutive quarter.

In March alone, the nation's foreign trade experienced a robust 6 percent year-on-year increase. These figures emerge against the backdrop of escalating trade tensions, including recent tariff hikes imposed by the United States on several trading partners, including China.

Customs data indicates that exports rose 6.9 percent from the same period last year, totaling 6.13 trillion yuan in the first quarter, while imports decreased by 6 percent year-on-year to 4.17 trillion yuan.

The GAC highlighted that China's foreign trade with economies participating in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) grew at a faster pace than the overall foreign trade. The export and import value with BRI countries and regions amounted to 5.26 trillion yuan in the first quarter, a 2.2 percent increase year-on-year, which is approximately 0.9 percentage points higher than the overall trade growth. This accounts for 51.1 percent of the nation's total foreign trade.

Trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also saw significant growth, soaring 7.1 percent year-on-year to 1.71 trillion yuan from January to March, according to GAC statistics.

Private businesses in China played a crucial role, achieving a foreign trade value of 5.85 trillion yuan, a 5.8 percent increase year-on-year. This accounts for 56.8 percent of the country's total export and import value, reflecting a 2.4 percentage point increase from the same period last year.

Exports of electromechanical products reached 5.29 trillion yuan in the first three months, marking a 7.7 percent increase year-on-year, according to the GAC.