China's foreign trade up 15 pct in Q1

The State Council Information Office (SCIO) holds a press briefing on China's import and export in the first quarter of 2026, in Beijing, capital of China, on April 14, 2026. (Xinhua/Chen Yehua)

BEIJING, April 14 (Xinhua) -- China's foreign trade grew 15 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

The total value of goods imports and exports reached 11.84 trillion yuan (about 1.73 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, the data showed.

Exports rose 11.9 percent from the same period last year to 6.85 trillion yuan, while imports went up 19.6 percent to 4.99 trillion yuan, according to the data.

A drone photo taken on April 14, 2026 shows vehicles to be exported at Yantai Port in east China's Shandong Province. China's foreign trade grew 15 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

The total value of goods imports and exports reached 11.84 trillion yuan (about 1.73 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, the data showed.

Exports rose 11.9 percent from the same period last year to 6.85 trillion yuan, while imports went up 19.6 percent to 4.99 trillion yuan, according to the data. (Photo by Tang Ke/Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on April 14, 2026 shows a cargo ship with containers leaving Qingdao Port in east China's Shandong Province. China's foreign trade grew 15 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

The total value of goods imports and exports reached 11.84 trillion yuan (about 1.73 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, the data showed.

Exports rose 11.9 percent from the same period last year to 6.85 trillion yuan, while imports went up 19.6 percent to 4.99 trillion yuan, according to the data. (Photo by Yu Fangping/Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on April 14, 2026 shows a container being hoisted onto a rail-sea intermodal freight train at a logistics base of Nanjing railway logistics center in Yangzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province. China's foreign trade grew 15 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

The total value of goods imports and exports reached 11.84 trillion yuan (about 1.73 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, the data showed.

Exports rose 11.9 percent from the same period last year to 6.85 trillion yuan, while imports went up 19.6 percent to 4.99 trillion yuan, according to the data. (Photo by Ren Fei/Xinhua)

A drone photo taken on April 14, 2026 shows a truck for export being hoisted onto a China-Africa liner at Yantai Port in east China's Shandong Province. China's foreign trade grew 15 percent year on year in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026, data from the General Administration of Customs showed on Tuesday.

The total value of goods imports and exports reached 11.84 trillion yuan (about 1.73 trillion U.S. dollars) during the period, the data showed.

Exports rose 11.9 percent from the same period last year to 6.85 trillion yuan, while imports went up 19.6 percent to 4.99 trillion yuan, according to the data. (Photo by Tang Ke/Xinhua)