China trade surplus reached record in 2021 despite trade war

Recovering demand in U.S. and Europe plus ASEAN supply woes boosted exports

20220114 China port trade

The Yantian port in Shenzhen. Despite a trade war with Washington and its allies, vaccination drives in the U.S. and Europe helped consumer purchases of Chinese goods recover. © Reuters

IORI KAWATE, Nikkei staff writer

BEIJING -- China's trade surplus in 2021 reached $676.4 billion, the largest ever and up about 30% from the previous year, the country's General Administration of Customs said on Friday.

The second-largest global economy's previous record was set in 2015. With demand for Chinese personal computers and toys recovering in major markets such as the U.S. and Europe, total exports increased by 29.9% to $3.36 tillion.

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