China says imports and exports surged in August

China’s imports and exports surged in August, official data showed, as demand linked to the global artificial intelligence buildout boosted the country’s technology products.

Exports rose 25% from a year earlier, accelerating slightly from July’s 23.9% growth. The increase fell just short of a Bloomberg forecast of 25.9%.

Imports grew 28.2% year on year, faster than July’s 27.5% increase but below the 31% forecast. From January through August, the value of China’s exports of computers and related parts jumped 49.4%, customs data showed.

Shipments to the United States increased 34.4% last month, compared with 17% growth in July. China’s trade has continued to expand this year after achieving a historic trade surplus in 2025, driven largely by overseas demand for semiconductors, computing hardware and other products connected to the AI boom.

The latest figures were released ahead of an expected high-stakes summit in Washington this month between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping.