China reported a better-than-expected economic growth as the world’s second largest economy took advantage of a trade truce with the US amid President Donald Trump’s tariff offensive.

How, then, to explain the resilience of China’s exports in the turmoil of the global trade war? Some companies have been “front-loading”, or shipping extra goods to America, on fears that the truce will not hold and levies will increase further later.

China's exports beat expectations in June as businesses continued to rush out shipments to capitalize on a temporary tariff reprieve ahead of an August deadline.Exports jumped 5.8% in June in U.S. dollar terms from a year earlier,

External demand continues to support Chinese economic growth, as the first-half trade surplus surged to a new high of $586bn.

China's export growth likely edged higher in June, buoyed by exporters rushing to front-load shipments on fears that a fragile trade truce with the United States could unravel and see President Donald Trump reinstate extra tariffs on Chinese goods.

GDP grew 5.3% in the first half of the year, official data shows, but analysts say maintaining that momentum will be a challenge in the months ahead.

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There seems to be some surprise at the latest China export trade figures. China reported a record trade surplus of approximately US$586 billion ($753 billion) for the first half of 2025. Exports rose 5.8%, beating the median estimate by analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. China’s second-quarter growth is up 5.2%.

Housing market data added to Beijing’s challenge to meet the 5% GDP growth target for 2025. China’s House Price Index fell 3.2% year-on-year in June after dropping 3.5% in May. While the year-on-year trend signaled an improving housing market, other housing sector data painted a gloomier picture.

Official figures showed modest growth in the second quarter as exports shifted to other countries and Beijing invested in manufacturing and infrastructure.

Chinese state firm employee Zhang Jinming makes up for a 24% cut to his salary by delivering food for three hours every night after work and on weekends - and hopes he can avoid awkward encounters with colleagues.