News
China’s foreign trade bucks trend, sets new records
By Kong Dechen
Engaged in the cross-border e-commerce business, Tang Sheng has worked on a very tight schedule in a recent couple of months.
“I sell tools on Amazon. In the first quarter this year, my business performance was poor due to the rising price of raw materials and COVID-19 resurgence in China,” he said.
Fortunately, an upsurge of orders arrived in May and June. “I’m happy though I’m kept busy,” Tang told People’s Daily.
After Amazon announced the date of its Prime Day this year, an annual deal event exclusively for the e-commerce giant’s Prime members, Tang stocked up in advance.
“I got a lot more orders this year. Ports in Guangzhou see a busy logistics,” Tang said. According to him, the shipping price has been significantly lowered, from the peak point of around 30 yuan ($4.45) to 18 yuan per kilogram. It has greatly relieved the cost pressure for foreign trade companies.
According to customs statistics, China’s foreign trade of goods jumped 9.4 percent year on year in the first half of this year. The total imports and exports in May and June grew 9.5 percent and 14.3 percent, respectively, reversing the decline in growth in April led by the COVID-19 resurgence.
The month-by-month growth signified a V-shaped rebound in China’s foreign trade and has laid a solid foundation for the whole-year performance.
Apart from the upturn, China’s foreign trade also set two new records. In the January-June period, the country’s total imports and exports of goods hit a record of over 19.8 trillion yuan. The number in June stood at over 3.7 trillion yuan, with total exports exceeding 2.2 trillion yuan, the highest monthly figures ever.
While the growth picks up, the quality of foreign trade is also improving. The proportion of general trade continues expanding, and the trade with major trading partners is on a rise. Besides, foreign trade entities have become more active and there’s a steady growth in the imports and exports of major products. As of June this year, China’s foreign trade had recorded positive growth for eight consecutive quarters.
The month-by-month growth in the total foreign trade volume came from the stable macro economy, including the robust domestic demand for production and the rapid recovery of foreign trade in certain regions of the country.
The V-shaped rebound couldn’t have been achieved without the country’s supportive policies. For instance, to ensure smooth logistics of COVID-19 vaccines, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) has launched whole-process monitoring during customs clearance and carried out advanced verification of declaration documents, so that vaccine products don’t need to be unpacked during the process and fast clearance is ensured.
“The rebound of China’s exports in May was indeed recovery growth following the pandemic,” said Huo Jianguo, vice chairman of the China Society for World Trade Organization Studies.
“It was inseparable from China’s efforts to eliminate negative factors troubling the foreign trade sector, such as opening green channels and prioritizing the shipments of foreign trade enterprises, In general, the policies to promote work resumption and straighten logistics are effective,” he explained.
Liang Ming, director of the institute of international trade at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, a think tank of the Ministry of Commerce, told People’s Daily that promoting the stability and quality of foreign trade is a focus of China in the next phase.
While maintaining a stable size of its trade and steady share in the international market, China will improve the quality and economic benefits of foreign trade, so as to achieve high-level opening up, Liang said.
So far, the GAC has launched special campaigns and rolled out facilitation measures in 10 cities across China. It has also worked to shorten the time of customs clearance and guided more than 90,000 enterprises to apply for customs declaration registration with the streamlined method that integrates multiple procedures into one consolidated business license. It has promoted integrated reform in all services and further improved trade facilitation.
“The fundamentals sustaining China’s economic resilience, potential and long-term growth remains unchanged, and the country’s foreign trade is expected to embrace further growth,” said Li Kuiwen, spokesperson of the GAC.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to maintain the status quo in a dispute over the party’s candidates emerging from the Benue State APC primaries for the 2027 general election.
The order was made on Thursday by Justice Inyang Ekwo during proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1429/2026, filed by Engr. Sesugh Akaagba and other aggrieved APC candidates from Benue State against the APC and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, through an ex parte motion filed on July 5, 2026, sought six interim reliefs, including an order restraining the APC from substituting its validly nominated candidates in Benue State through its June 29, 2026 correspondence, or any subsequent communication, to INEC, pending determination of the substantive suit.
They also sought an order compelling the APC to immediately transmit to INEC the names of candidates validly nominated during the primaries monitored by the electoral commission.
When the matter first came up on July 8, 2026, the court declined to grant the interim application immediately, directing both APC and INEC to appear and respond before any decision was taken. The matter was adjourned to July 16.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel representing the APC and INEC were present in court, while the plaintiffs were represented by Mohammed Ndarani, SAN, alongside his legal team.
In his ruling, Justice Ekwo held that since issues had been joined by the parties particularly with INEC now before the court, the defendants were required by law to preserve the subject matter of the litigation pending determination of the substantive suit.
When counsel to the plaintiffs urged the court to caution APC and INEC against taking any further action that could affect the disputed list of candidates, the judge responded that it was “not a matter of advice but of law,” stressing that the defendants were bound to maintain the status quo.
The court consequently restrained APC and INEC from taking any action capable of altering the disputed list of candidates pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The defendants did not object to the restraining order.
At the commencement of proceedings, the court noted that all parties had voluntarily submitted to its jurisdiction by duly filing and exchanging their respective processes.
It held that there was no procedural or jurisdictional impediment to the expeditious determination of the substantive action, and directed that the matter be heard without further delay.
In furtherance of the objective of preserving the res and safeguarding the efficacy of the judicial process, the court ordered all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and final determination of the substantive suit, restraining any act or omission capable of prejudicing the rights of the parties or rendering the proceedings nugatory.
The court further directed that INEC be served forthwith with the originating and all consequential processes.
The effect of the subsisting order is that INEC is restrained from tampering with the existing list of candidates pending final determination of the suit, and from receiving, recognising, or acting upon any purported substituted list of National Assembly candidates from Benue State submitted by the APC.
The matter was adjourned to July 21, 2026, for hearing of the substantive suit.
Former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan and former First Lady Patience Ibifaka Jonathan recently celebrated a significant family milestone as they attended the graduation ceremony of their son, Ariara Goodluck Jonathan, at Manchester Metropolitan University in the United Kingdom.
The proud parents joined family members and well-wishers to witness Ariara receive his degree, marking the successful completion of his academic programme. The occasion was filled with joy as the Jonathan family commemorated the achievement, highlighting the importance they place on education and personal development.
The graduation ceremony attracted warm congratulatory messages from friends, associates, and admirers, who wished the graduate continued success in his future endeavours.
The Following names joined the political family of Sen. Dr. George Akume today after leaving the sinking Alia ship .
Under the leadership of Barr. Emmanuel Jime .
The are ;
Chief Nelson Alapa
Douglas pepe SAN senatorial Aspirant zone A,
Engr Peter Ashiekaa
QS Clement Beetseh
Former commissioners
Joy Luga
Ann itodo
Barr martins Shaagee
Miss Dorcas
Prof Usar Joseh
Prof Cephas Tushima
Chief Patrick Idoko
Hon Patience Akor
Hon Fred Idoko
Hon Lawrence Ekpo Onoja Jnr
Hon Andrew Abah
Hon Agbo Innocent Ikwumonu
Hon Simon Omachoko
Hon David Egboja
Dr John Garba
Among together,
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