BEIJING, August 7. /TASS/. China’s trade volume with the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) increased by 8.2% year-on-year in January-July, reaching $596.99 bln, according to the General Administration of Customs of China.
Chinese exports to ASEAN countries rose by 13.5%, totaling $377.03 bln. The flow of goods in the opposite direction grew by just 0.2%, reaching $219.96 bln. As a result, China’s trade surplus for the reporting period amounted to $157.07 bln, an increase of 40.6% compared to January-July 2024.
In July alone, China’s trade turnover with ASEAN amounted to $86.03 bln, down 5.2% from June. Chinese exports reached $54.62 bln (a 6.1% decline), while imports dropped by 3.5% to $31.4 bln.
Vietnam remains China’s leading trading partner among ASEAN members. From January through July, bilateral trade between the two countries reached $161.02 bln (up 11.2%). Chinese exports to Vietnam totaled $110.06 bln, marking a 20.7% increase, while imports from Vietnam declined by 5.1% to $50.96 bln.
Vietnam is followed by Malaysia ($116.83 bln) and Thailand ($89.41 bln) in terms of trade volume with China among ASEAN countries over the seven-month period.
ASEAN, along with the European Union, the United States, and Russia, is considered one of China’s key foreign trade partners. In 2023, China’s trade with ASEAN members declined by 4.9%, but rebounded in 2024 with a 7.8% increase, reaching $982.33 bln.