China's total services trade reached 3,099.48 billion yuan (about 456 billion U.S. dollars) in the first five months of 2026, up 6 percent year on year, according to data released by the Ministry of Commerce on Wednesday.
Exports stood at 1,230.46 billion yuan, up 15.9 percent, while imports reached 1,869.02 billion yuan, up 0.4 percent. The services trade deficit stood at 638.56 billion yuan, narrowing by 160.72 billion yuan compared with the same period last year.
Exports of knowledge-intensive services grew robustly.
From January to May, trade in this category reached 1,368.74 billion yuan, up 5.4 percent, accounting for 44.2 percent of total.
Exports of knowledge-intensive services amounted to 667.75 billion yuan, up 12.2 percent, with the fastest growth seen in charges for the use of intellectual property royalties, up 64.9 percent, and in personal, cultural and entertainment services, up 50.1 percent.
Imports of knowledge-intensive services stood at 700.99 billion yuan, down 0.3 percent.
Two sectors stood out for their rapid expansion.
During the same period, travel service exports surged 31.3 percent to 188.5 billion yuan, the fastest growth rate among the top five service export categories.
Meanwhile, transport service imports jumped 26.7 percent to 402.52 billion yuan, also the fastest-growing among the top five import categories.
China's trade in services reaches nearly 3.1 trln yuan in first five months of 2026
Venezuela is grappling with a humanitarian crisis as U.S. sanctions are hindering the country from accessing much-needed relief supplies after a deadly earthquake wreaked havoc in the South American nation last week.
Although the U.S. Department of the Treasury has temporarily eased some of the sanctions after the earthquakes, a short-term relief is still insufficient to make up for the structural damage caused by the long-standing restrictions imposed on the country, which has severely undermined the country's ability to access funds, equipment and aid resources for an extended period.
"More help is needed here, more help, even though Venezuelan people are contributing everyday," said Alberto Perez, an affected resident.
An Venezuelan political expert said that the legal and administrative actions taken by the U.S. authorities have clearly indicated that U.S. sanctions have directly hindered the flow of aid.
"This is precisely the strongest and clearest proof, the U.S. itself has admitted this through its own laws and administrative measures, admitting that sanctions, both in the past and now, have such an impact, that they hinder the delivery of funds and humanitarian aid," said Diego Sequera, a Venezuelan political analyst.
According to estimates from the United Nations (UN), the disaster has affected approximately 7 million people and caused 6.7 billion U.S. dollars in property damage, equivalent to 6 percent of Venezuela's GDP.
Venezuela is working with the UN and international humanitarian organizations to help affected communities access to aid.
Two powerful earthquakes, both measuring above magnitude 7.0, struck the country's north in rapid succession on June 24.
As of Tuesday, the death toll from the two earthquakes has risen to 1,943, with more than 10,000 injured, according to Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez on Tuesday.
Venezuela grapples with humanitarian crisis as U.S. sanctions block access to quake aid
Venezuela grapples with humanitarian crisis as U.S. sanctions block access to quake aid
