Chinese customs officials announced Tuesday that the nation’s overseas sales accelerated in May, climbing 19.4% compared to the same period last year, even as the Iran war continued to impact global trade.
The May performance exceeded forecasts and marked an acceleration from the 14.1% annual growth recorded in April.
International sales have maintained their strength throughout the conflict, bolstered by strong shipments of vehicles and technology products, including artificial intelligence-related items like semiconductors.
Meanwhile, purchases from abroad surged 27.4% in May, representing a faster pace than April’s 25.3% annual growth.
Commercial relations with the United States continued to weaken, extending a pattern that started after U.S. President Donald Trump returned to office and implemented extensive tariffs on China and other key trading nations last year.
Sales to the U.S. declined 2.7% during the January-May period compared to the same timeframe last year, while purchases from America fell 5.5%.
