At a press conference held on October 14, the spokesperson for the General Administration of Customs and head of the Statistical Analysis Division, Lv Daliang, discussed the current state of China’s export market. He indicated that, overall, China’s share of the global export market is steadily increasing. This growth spans a wide range of products, from furniture and home appliances to large vessels and containers, all showing varying degrees of improvement in global market share. Lv emphasized that China’s exports continue to demonstrate robust resilience.

During the conference, which was organized by the State Council Information Office in Beijing, reporters posed questions about how the recent weakening of international market demand is affecting Chinese exports. They inquired specifically about the performance of exports in September and the customs administration’s expectations for the fourth quarter.

Lv noted that China exported 2.17 trillion yuan worth of goods in September, marking a 1.6% increase. While the growth rate has indeed slowed, this is largely attributed to some short-term, unforeseen factors. He explained that the extreme weather events in September, including two typhoons affecting the Yangtze River Delta region, had a significant impact. Historical data reveals that typhoons tend to cause prolonged disruptions to exports, often delaying shipping schedules in their aftermath. Additionally, issues like global shipping inefficiencies, container shortages, and contract negotiation expectations at East Coast docks in the U.S. recently necessitated adjustments in companies’ shipping and logistics rhythms. This year, many businesses experienced an earlier peak in demand—more than a month ahead of the usual third-quarter rush.

He further elaborated that September’s export volume faced challenges due to last year’s significant export figures during the same month, which were the second highest of the entire year, just behind December. Overall, the slowdown in export growth for September is seen as a normal incidental fluctuation.

Looking at the larger picture, Lv shared that September marked the sixth consecutive month of export growth, with total exports for the first three quarters reaching a historic high of 18.62 trillion yuan—an increase of 6.2% year-on-year, outpacing the average growth rate for the same period over the last decade by 0.5 percentage points. Preliminary assessments based on recent data from various economies suggest that China’s overall export share in the global market is steadily rising across all major products.

Lv also highlighted that China is accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system, promoting the development of new productive forces suited to local conditions. The country’s strong manufacturing base, diverse industrial categories, and substantial industrial system continue to reinforce its position within global supply chains. Recent research conducted on over 800 major exporting companies shows that 69% of them anticipate stable or increasing exports in the fourth quarter. In conclusion, Lv expressed strong confidence in the projection for export performance going into the last quarter of the year.