Explainer | Why are doubts about China’s export data increasing amid a stalling economic recovery?

Name: An unwinnable conflict? The US-China trade war, 5 years on
Uploaded: 2023-06-06T16:00:18.000Z
Duration: 14 min 45 s
Description: An unwinnable conflict? The US-China trade war, 5 years on

According to customs data, China’s exports rose by 14.8 per cent in March and by 8.5 per cent in April, year on year

But discrepancies between that export data and other economic indicators are growing

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An unwinnable conflict? The US-China trade war, 5 years on

Ji Siqi

Published: 12:00am, 7 Jun 2023Updated: 9:24am, 7 Jun 2023

Despite weakening global demand and worsening geopolitical tensions with the West, China’s export data has continued to beat market expectations this year.

Exports were up 14.8 per cent year on year in March and by 8.5 per cent in April, according to the General Administration of Customs.

But there have been increasing doubts about the reliability of the customs data, with many asking whether it is too good to be true.

The problem is that discrepancies between the export data and other economic indicators are growing.

Those indicators include survey results or statistics reported by other Chinese agencies, import data reported by the customs agencies of major trading partners, sluggish shipping rates, and low morale among exporters.

Beijing has pledged to shore up trade to support the country’s post-pandemic economic recovery, which has been losing momentum recently following a brief uptick after the country abandoned its strict zero-Covid policy.

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