China's trade with ASEAN countries surges 20.3 pct in first two months of 2026

China's trade with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) surged 20.3 percent to 1.24 trillion yuan (about 180 billion U.S. dollars) from January to February this year, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).

China and ASEAN are important trading partners, with bilateral trade continuing to grow.

The two sides have scored numerous achievements amid rising external uncertainties. For 17 years in a row, China has been ASEAN's largest trading partner, while ASEAN has been China's top trading partner for 6 consecutive years.

According to customs statistics, in the first two months of 2026, foreign trade imports and exports in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reached 142.27 billion yuan (about 20.7 billion U.S. dollars), up 13 percent year on year, a record high for the same period.

During the period, Guangxi's imports and exports with ASEAN members totaled 66.37 billion yuan (about 9.66 billion U.S. dollars), up 5.5 percent, accounting for 46.7 percent of the provincial-level region's total foreign trade. ASEAN remained Guangxi's largest trading partner.

Guangxi's foreign trade imports and exports with Vietnam, Indonesia, and Malaysia totaled 45.6 billion yuan, 5.22 billion yuan, and 4.38 billion yuan, respectively, increases of 12.1 percent, 2.9 percent, and 51 percent.

Thanks to deepening cross-border cooperation between Guangxi and ASEAN in industrial and supply chains, bilateral trade in intermediate goods has continued to expand.

In the first two months, Guangxi's imports and exports of intermediate goods with ASEAN totaled 40.38 billion yuan (about 5.88 billion U.S. dollars), up 22.5 percent, accounting for 41.9 percent of Guangxi's total intermediate goods trade for the same period.

China's trade with ASEAN countries surges 20.3 pct in first two months of 2026

Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao will lead a delegation to attend the World Trade Organization (WTO)'s 14th ministerial conference (MC14), scheduled to take place in Cameroon's capital, Yaounde, from March 26 to 29, a Ministry of Commerce spokeswoman announced on Thursday.

He Yongqian, the spokeswoman, said at a press briefing in Beijing that China will support the multilateral trading system and push for WTO reform at the upcoming conference, as global trade faces growing uncertainty.

"The WTO ministerial conference is to be held in Africa for the first time in 10 years, gathering more than 160 members in Yaounde to discuss major issues such as WTO reform, trade and development, agriculture and food security. This conference is of particular significance," said He.

"As a responsible developing country and a staunch defender and active contributor to the multilateral trading system, China announced in September 2025 that it would not seek new special, differential treatment in both current and future WTO negotiations, and submitted a position paper outlining its stance on WTO reform under the current circumstances," said the spokeswoman.

"Regarding the upcoming MC14, we firmly support Cameroon in hosting the event and will elaborate on China's position and propositions on issues such as upholding the multilateral trading system and promoting WTO reform. China will actively facilitate dialogue, peace, and consensus-building. On the basis of comprehensive participation in consultations and discussions on various topics and of building a broad consensus, China will work toward bringing about practical outcomes," He said.

Chinese commerce minister to attend upcoming WTO ministerial conference in Cameroon: spokeswoman