China's foreign trade demonstrated remarkable resilience in April 2025, with trade promotion certificates issuance showing significant year-on-year growth. Official data reveals the national trade promotion system issued 711,500 certificates of various types during the month, representing a substantial 21.45% increase compared to the same period last year.
The certification data provides concrete evidence of China's stable foreign trade growth, with April's import and export volumes reaching historically high levels. The performance exceeded expectations, showcasing the sector's strong adaptability in challenging global economic conditions.
Detailed breakdown shows the system issued 376,200 non-preferential certificates of origin, covering $30.398 billion in trade value. This represents a 4.21% year-on-year growth in certificate quantity and 8.98% increase in participating enterprises. Meanwhile, preferential certificates of origin showed even stronger growth, with 275,300 certificates issued for $8.876 billion in trade - increases of 49.91% and 47.07% respectively compared to April 2024.
Particularly noteworthy is the performance of RCEP certificates of origin, which grew 25.33% in value to $859 million. The system issued 30,756 RCEP certificates, serving 4,522 enterprises - increases of 26.93% and 17.18% respectively. This robust growth demonstrates Chinese exporters' increasing utilization of free trade agreement benefits to diversify markets and navigate complex international trade environments.
The certification statistics reflect Chinese businesses' strategic adaptation to global market conditions through active engagement with regional trade agreements. The significant growth across all certificate categories, especially RCEP-related documents, indicates successful efforts to leverage policy tools for maintaining export competitiveness amid external challenges.
Analysts suggest these figures confirm the effectiveness of China's trade promotion strategies and the maturing implementation of regional trade agreements. The data provides concrete evidence of export sector resilience through diversified market approaches and optimized use of international trade frameworks.
Looking forward, trade experts anticipate continued growth in certificate issuance as more businesses recognize the advantages of preferential trade agreements. The RCEP performance particularly highlights the agreement's growing importance in China's foreign trade ecosystem, with utilization rates expected to keep rising as companies gain experience with the framework's provisions.