China Pledges Wider Imports Amid Record Surplus
Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang vowed expanded imports at the China International Import Expo while rejecting criticism of the country's widening trade surplus.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in International Trade
Live Poll
Have you noticed prices of everyday imported goods rising over the past year?
Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang pledged to expand imports at the China International Import Expo in Shanghai and rejected criticism of China's growing trade surplus. China recorded a surplus of US$938.1 billion in the first nine months of the year, after a US$1.2 trillion surplus last year.
Why it matters
The surplus is attributed to China's position in global supply chains and its comparative advantages, but disruption and restrictions on certain hi-tech product trade have drawn scrutiny. Import commitments at the expo bear directly on how trading partners weigh China's market access.
China's trade surplus reached US$938.1 billion in the first nine months of 2026, on pace with last year's US$1.2 trillion record. Foreign companies accounted for 27 per cent of 2025 exports and 16 per cent of the surplus, and the timing of any import expansion remains unspecified.
The players
Ding Xuexiang
Ding Xuexiang is a Vice-Premier of China who serves on the Chinese government's economic leadership.
The details
Ding addressed the opening ceremony of the six-day China International Import Expo, which drew 4,142 companies and covers more than 440,000 square metres at the National Exhibition and Convention Centre. More than 300 Fortune Global 500 companies and over 2,000 first-time exhibitors are taking part, and US companies occupy more than 50,000 square metres. Ding called for removing trade barriers.
Timeline
Ding Xuexiang spoke at the CIIE opening ceremony on November 5, 2026 (Thursday).
The expo runs for six days.
China's surplus of US$938.1 billion was recorded in the first nine months of 2026.
The G20 summit in Miami in December is expected to raise external pressure on China.
Market Dynamics
China's record US$1.2 trillion trade surplus in 2025 set the baseline for the current year's figures, with US$938.1 billion recorded in the first nine months of 2026 putting the country on track for another annual record. This continuation shapes the pressure that trading partners are bringing to bear on China's export position.
A continued trade surplus and any change in China's import policy can affect currency movements and the export revenues of foreign firms that sell into the Chinese market. Investors tracking exposure to Chinese trade should watch whether the pledged import expansion translates into actual purchase volumes.
The takeaway
Watch whether the import commitments made at the expo are followed by measurable increases in purchases, since that will determine whether the surplus trend begins to moderate.
What happens next
Trade pressure on China is expected to be raised at the G20 summit in Miami in December 2026.
Further reading
For broader context on how these figures fit into global commerce, see International Trade.
Live Poll
Have you noticed prices of everyday imported goods rising over the past year?
