Chinese exports show strong resilience in April despite US tariff war

China’s exports rose in April, signalling resilience in the face of US “reciprocal” tariffs unveiled last month.

China’s April exports grew by 8.1 per cent year on year to US$315.69 billion, customs data showed on Friday.

The figure beat market expectations of a 1.9 per cent increase in a poll of economists by Reuters, and followed a 12.4 per cent rise in March.

Exports to the United States fell by 21 per cent, compared with a 9.09 per cent rise in March.

Imports, meanwhile, fell by 0.2 per cent year on year, compared with a 4.3 per cent contraction in March. The economists polled by Reuters had predicted a 5.9 per cent drop.

China’s trade surplus stood at US$96.18 billion in April, down from US$102.64 billion in March.

US President Donald Trump announced so-called reciprocal tariffs of up to 145 per cent on a range of Chinese imports on April 2. In retaliation, China imposed duties of up to 125 per cent on American goods.