For the first time ever, China broke the symbolically important 40 trillion yuan ($6.27 trillion) record for global trade in a single year, according to new full-year 2022 trade data released by Chinese customs authorities.
Overall, last year’s 7.7% annual increase was better than many had expected, given the massive disruptions to the Chinese economy brought on by the government’s draconian Zero-COVID policy that caused widespread economic disruption. Nonetheless, China traded 4% more with the world in 2022 than it did in 2021.