China's April exports rebound strongly, trade surplus widens ahead of Trump visit
China's April exports rose more than expected, recovering from March's slump and pushing the trade surplus sharply wider. The print, released ahead of Trump's Beijing visit, refocuses Brussels on Europe's swelling trade gap with China.
Customs data released by Beijing showed April exports rising well ahead of forecasts on a year-on-year basis, marking a sharp rebound from March's contraction. The jump pushed the country's trade surplus back to a notably wide band.
The picture for the European Union is mixed. Shipments of Chinese electric vehicles, machinery and solar panels into Europe regained momentum while EU exports into China remained sluggish. The anti-subsidy investigations that Brussels has launched in recent months become harder to ignore as the bilateral trade gap widens.
The print also reshuffles leverage going into Trump's Beijing summit next week. The Chinese side can present strong export performance as a bargaining chip, while Washington and European capitals will lean on tariffs and sanctions pressure. Investors are watching the yuan's path against the dollar and the euro for clues on the next step.
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