Hong Kong’s exports rise 14.5%, better than expected, amid extended trade truce

Hong Kong’s exports rose by 14.5 per cent in August year on year, amid a Sino-US trade truce and a surprise rebound in shipments to America and Europe, alongside continued solid demand in Asia, which helped offset wider economic uncertainties.

The month also saw the extension of a trade truce for another 90 days over so-called reciprocal tariffs the US imposed on mainland China and Hong Kong.

The Census and Statistics Department said on Thursday that the value of the city’s total exports for that month reached HK$436.6 billion (US$56.14 billion). The year-on-year increase marked an uptick from the 14.3 per cent recorded in July and the 11.9 per cent logged in June.

For the first eight months of 2025, the value of total exports and imports of goods both jumped by 13 per cent over the same period last year. In August, imports grew by 11.5 per cent to HK$462 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of HK$25.4 billion.

A government spokesman said exports to the mainland and most other Asian markets continued to post solid growth, and exports to the United States and the European Union turned to increases.