China's trade and controls
China reported first‑quarter foreign trade grew 15% year‑on‑year, its fastest pace in five years. (news.cgtn.com) Separately, the Financial Times says Beijing has tripled its use of export controls over the past five years, a policy shift affecting critical supply chains. (ft.com)
China said its trade in goods rose 15 percent in the first quarter, even as Beijing widened the use of export controls across key materials and technologies. (english.scio.gov.cn) The General Administration of Customs said goods trade reached 11.84 trillion yuan, or about 1.73 trillion United States dollars, from January through March 2026. Exports rose 11.9 percent to 6.85 trillion yuan and imports climbed 19.6 percent to 4.99 trillion yuan. (english.scio.gov.cn) Customs data showed trade with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations rose 16.1 percent in the quarter, while trade with the European Union increased 14.7 percent and trade with the United States rose 9.1 percent. Private firms accounted for 56.8 percent of China’s foreign trade, up 2.4 percentage points from a year earlier. (english.www.gov.cn) Export controls are government rules that block or limit shipments of certain goods, software, or know-how overseas. China’s current system rests on its Export Control Law, which took effect on December 1, 2020, and lets authorities restrict dual-use items, meaning products with both civilian and military applications. (hoganlovells.com) Beijing tightened that system again in late 2024, when the State Council issued new regulations on dual-use export controls. The rules were adopted on September 18, 2024, published on October 19, 2024, and took effect on December 1, 2024. (gov.cn) The Financial Times reported on April 10, 2026, that China has tripled its use of export controls over the past five years. The paper said the shift has expanded Beijing’s leverage over supply chains tied to semiconductors and other strategic sectors. (ft.com) Chinese officials have framed the trade surge as evidence that domestic demand is strengthening as well as exports. Customs figures for the quarter showed imports grew faster than exports by 7.7 percentage points, with imports hitting a record high for a first quarter. (news.chemnet.com) The two trends now sit side by side: China is reporting stronger cross-border trade volumes while also building a denser legal system for deciding which products can leave the country. That leaves foreign manufacturers and trading partners watching both the headline growth numbers and the fine print on what can still be shipped. (english.scio.gov.cn)
