The latest data from China’s General Administration of Customs paints a picture of remarkable resilience and vitality in foreign trade: From January to July this year, China’s total import and export value reached 25.7 trillion yuan ($3.54 trillion), a year-on-year increase of 3.5%, with growth accelerating by 0.6 percentage points compared to the first half. Exports performed particularly well, rising by 7.3%. Even more encouraging is the July single-month data—imports and exports grew by 6.7% year-on-year, hitting a new high for the year, while export growth has remained above 6% for five consecutive months.

Where does this upward momentum come from?

Behind the Data: Private Enterprises and Emerging Markets Drive Growth
Private enterprises, the backbone of foreign trade, demonstrated strong momentum. From January to July, their import and export value reached 14.68 trillion yuan ($2.02 trillion), up 7.4% year-on-year, accounting for 57.1% of China’s total foreign trade value. Numerous small and medium-sized manufacturers, including fiberglass mesh manufacturers, are actively exploring diversified international markets. Data shows that China’s trade with ASEAN, the EU, Africa, and Central Asia grew by 9.4%, 3.9%, 17.2%, and 16.3% respectively, while trade with Belt and Road partner countries increased by 5.5%. This market diversification strategy effectively mitigates risks.

“Waiting isn’t a solution—we must proactively seek new channels!” declared an entrepreneur who successfully expanded into the European market, echoing the sentiment of many export-oriented businesses. Supported by policy measures, many fiberglass mesh manufacturers have successfully entered infrastructure markets in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, with orders backlogged until Q4.

Innovation Breakthrough: Enhanced “Innovation Content” Boosts Global Competitiveness

Optimization and upgrading of the trade structure provide core support:

• High-End Manufacturing Leads: Mechanical and electrical products accounted for 60% of total exports, with high-end machine tool exports surging by 23.4%.
• “New Trio” and Green Economy: Exports of the “new trio” products—new energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, and solar cells—grew by 14.9%, leading the green and low-carbon trend.
• Innovation in Traditional Categories: Made-in-China “cooling products” like air conditioners and fans gained popularity overseas. For instance, a Shenzhen company’s portable air conditioners solved installation challenges in Europe’s older buildings, leading to a 164% sales surge for their new generation. Similarly, in building materials, manufacturers specializing in high-performance fiberglass mesh have enhanced their products through technological improvements. By developing alkali-resistant, crack-resistant fiberglass mesh for exterior wall insulation that meets EU construction certification standards, exports have steadily increased.
• Greater Bay Area as a Model: The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area emerged as a hub for high-quality trade development, importing over 60% of computer processing components and exporting over 80% of 3D printers.

Policy Empowerment and Enterprise Initiative

Bai Ming, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation (CAITEC), Ministry of Commerce, noted that stable trade progress results from both policy support and proactive corporate strategies. Facing complex external conditions, businesses have leveraged policy windows (e.g., the China-US tariff truce period) to optimize product portfolios and capture market share during peak seasons (like Christmas preparations). Simultaneously, professional fiberglass mesh wholesale suppliers actively utilize new models like cross-border e-commerce to reduce reliance on single markets, selling products like construction-grade fiberglass mesh globally.

Looking Ahead: Navigating Challenges with Resilience

Despite persistent external challenges, China’s foreign trade rests on a solid foundation: a diverse and stable international market landscape, continuously improving industrial innovation capabilities, and adaptable trade entities. Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Wang Lingjun, emphasized that this provides confidence to tackle risks.

For export enterprises, especially manufacturers in specialized fields like fiberglass mesh, the path forward is clear: deepen innovation to enhance product technological attributes (e.g., developing eco-friendly fiberglass reinforced mesh); flexibly utilize cross-border e-commerce for expansion; and steadfastly promote market diversification. Only through these measures can they continue to sail steadily through global market turbulence, consolidating China’s new competitive advantages in foreign trade.