Nel 2016 le esportazioni cinesi sono diminuite del 7,7 per cento e le importazioni sono scese del 5,5 per cento. Così l’Amministrazione generale delle dogane di Pechino. Le esportazioni nette per il 2016 ammontano a 2.097 miliardi di dollari, mentre le importazioni sono pari a 1.567 miliardi. Il commercio estero totale è sceso del 6,8 per cento. Nel mese di dicembre l’export è diminuito del 6,1 per cento rispetto allo stesso mese dell’anno precedente, dopo una leggera ripresa nel mese di gennaio, con l’import calato del 3,1 per cento nonostante la crescita delle importazioni di petrolio. Nel 2016 il Paese asiatico ha importato 381 milioni di tonnellate di greggio, il 13,6 per cento in più rispetto al 2015.

Chinese exports fell 7.7 percent and imports decreased by 5.5 percent in 2016, data by China’s General Administration of Customs showed on Friday. Net exports for 2016 came to $2.097 trillion, while net imports were $1.567 trillion, with China’s trade surplus thus amounting to over $0.5 trillion, according to customs data. Total foreign trade fell 6.8 percent in 2016 year-on-year. In December, exports fell 6.1 percent compared to the same month the year before after a slight upswing in November, with imports falling 3.1 percent to $168.6 billion. Net trade therefore fell 2.7 percent after a 2.9 percent rise the month before, performing below forecasts. China’s oil imports have, however, increased in 2016 despite the downturn in foreign trade. Throughout the year, China imported 381 million tonnes of crude, 13.6 percent above the 2015 figure of 335.48 million. China’s economy has recently experienced significant turmoil, with growth rates at record lows, an increasingly volatile stock market and the yuan sliding against other currencies. The 2015 GDP increase was the lowest in over 20 years, with exports falling 2.8 percent and imports decreasing 14.1 percent. In late April, the State Council of China announced a number of measures to support foreign trade, including the extension of export credit insurance and increase in tax refunds to exporters.