Beijing: China's foreign trade maintained strong growth in the first eight months of 2026, with imports continuing to expand faster than exports, according to official data released Tuesday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the country's total goods -- imports and exports -- rose 17.6% year-on-year to 34.78 trillion yuan ($5.13 trillion) between January and August, citing data from China's General Administration of Customs. The growth rate was 0.3 percentage points higher than that recorded during the first seven months of the year.

Exports climbed 14.6% from a year earlier to 20.17 trillion yuan, while imports surged 22% to 14.61 trillion yuan. China's goods trade totaled 4.65 trillion yuan in August alone, an increase of 19.8% year-on-year. Monthly trade remained above the 4 trillion yuan mark for a sixth consecutive month.

Exports increased 18.6% year-on-year during August, while imports rose 21.7%. Both exports and imports recorded double-digit annual growth for the fourth consecutive month, according to the data. Import growth also exceeded export growth for the sixth straight month, underscoring the continued strength of China's demand for overseas goods alongside robust export performance.