SHANGHAI -- A major Chinese import exhibition turned awkward this week, as fresh data underscored the country's hefty trade surplus, highlighting what critics say is an imbalance exacerbated by exporters' limited access to China.
The six-day China International Import Expo in Shanghai, which runs through Friday, is billed as a catalyst for foreign trade and investment, showcasing what its promoters lauded as an "opening up of market opportunities." But new data released Tuesday showed that China recorded a trade surplus of $684 billion in the first 10 months of 2023, more than double the $254 billion it logged during the same period of 2018, the year the expo was first held.
