China records $119B trade surplus in August as streak above $100B continues

China’s trade surplus hit $119 billion in August, extending a remarkable streak that’s reshaping the math on global commerce. The figure landed almost exactly where economists polled by Reuters expected it, at $119.05 billion. The August number marks the third straight month the surplus has cleared $100 billion. In July, the gap between what China sold and what it bought came in at $112.5 billion. The numbers behind the streak July’s trade data offers the most granular breakdown available. Exports totaled $397.85 billion that month, a 23.9% jump from the same period a year earlier. Imports reached $285.35 billion, up 27.5% year-over-year. From January through July, China’s cumulative trade surplus stands at $687.4 billion. Add in August’s $119 billion, and the running total pushes past $806 billion with four months still to go. What’s driving it The composition of China’s exports has shifted meaningfully over the past few years. High-tech goods, particularly semiconductors and electric vehicles, have become core growth engines. China’s dominance in green technology manufacturing, from solar panels to EV batteries, has turned what was once a cost-driven export model into one increas...