China is confident and well-prepared to continue promoting steady growth in and improving the quality of foreign trade, a spokeswoman of the country's Ministry of Commerce said Thursday. At a press conference in Beijing, spokeswoman He Yongqian said that since the fourth quarter of 2024, the ministry has worked with relevant departments in strengthening policy support to help foreign trade enterprises secure orders and employment.
In the first seven months, China's imports from and exports to emerging and other markets grew by five percent year-on-year, accounting for 65.5 percent of the foreign trade total, up 0.9 percentage points year-on-year.
Among them, trade with ASEAN and African countries increased by 9.4 percent and 17.2 percent, respectively, higher than the overall growth rate.
During the same period, China's machinery and electronic products exports rose by 9.3 percent, accounting for 60 percent of the total exports, up 1.1 percentage points year-on-year.
High-tech and high-value-added products such as smart home appliances, electric vehicles, industrial robots, and ships maintained strong export growth, according to the spokeswoman.
"Although global trade still faces risks of downturns, we will unswervingly expand high-level opening up. We have the confidence in continuously promoting stable and high-quality foreign trade, and work together with more trading partners to tackle challenges and share development opportunities," said the spokesperson.
China's trade in goods totaled 25.7 trillion yuan (about 3.6 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first seven months of 2025, up 3.5 percent year on year, with the growth pace accelerating by 0.6 percentage points from the first half of the year, according to the latest data from its General Administration of Customs.
China confident of sustaining foreign trade development: spokeswoman
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
