China’s exports grow 5.9% in November despite major drop in US shipments

People fish near containers at the Yantian port in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, on October 30, 2025. Tingshu Wang/Reuters Reuters —

China’s exports returned to growth in November following an unexpected contraction the month before, although shipments to the United States dropped nearly 29% from a year earlier in an eighth straight month of double-digit declines.

Overall exports from China were 5.9% higher than last year in November in dollar terms, customs data released on Monday showed, at $330.3 billion, better than economists’ estimates. That was an improvement from a 1.1% contraction in October.

While exports from China to the US have fallen for most of the year, shipments have surged to other destinations , including Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.