China said on Wednesday trade last year reached a "new historical high", increasing 3.8 percent.

"In 2025, China's total import and export value of goods reached 45.47 trillion yuan, marking a year-on-year increase of 3.8 percent," said vice customs minister Wang Jun.

"The scale surpassed 45 trillion yuan for the first time, setting a new historical high."

Foreign trade has maintained growth for the ninth consecutive year since 2017, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.

Exports grew 6.1 percent to 26.99 trillion yuan while imports edged up 0.5 percent to 18.48 trillion yuan.

For the month of December, exports grew 5.2 percent year on year in yuan terms while imports increased 4.4 percent, with the trade surplus hitting 808.8 billion yuan.

In trade with the United States, China's surplus was US$23.25 billion in December, slightly down from US$23.74 billion in ‍November, while that for the year came in at US$280.35 billion.

Economists polled by Reuters ‌expected outbound shipments from the ‍world's second-largest ‌economy ‌to ‌have grown by an annual 3 percent, after ⁠a 5.9 percent expansion in November.

Imports were forecast to ‌have risen ‍0.9 percent, compared with November's 1.9 percent growth.

The 8.51 trillion yuan, US$1.189 trillion, record trade surplus for the year is set to see producers brace for three more years of a Trump administration set ‍on slowing the production ⁠powerhouse by shifting US ‍orders to other markets. (Xinhua/Agencies)