China’s Exports Contracted Unexpectedly for First Time in 8 Months

Demand from markets outside the United States, such as the European Union and Africa, failed to compensate for the slump in sales to American consumers.

Cars waiting to be loaded for export in Nanjing port in Jiangsu Province, China, on Nov. 6, 2025. STR/AFP via Getty Images

China’s exports fell in October, according to customs data, adding further strain to the world’s second-largest economy that is already grappling with sluggish domestic demand.

Overall sales abroad decreased by 1.1 percent last month from a year earlier, according to data released by the Chinese regime’s General Administration of Customs on Nov. 7. The figure fell short of a 3 percent growth forecast by economists in a Reuters poll and partially reversed the gain of 8.3 percent in September, representing the worst performance since February, when exports took a hit amid the Chinese New Year holiday.