China is increasingly opening its vast market to goods from around the world, with imports growing at a faster pace than exports and playing a greater role in driving global trade.

Data from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) showed that China's imports rose 22% year on year in the first seven months of 2026, outpacing export growth by 8 percentage points. China's imports reached 10.74 trillion yuan (roughly $1.6 trillion), rising 22.1% year-on-year and surpassing 10 trillion yuan for the first time in history for that period.

The trend reflects not only the sheer size of China's market but also the country's growing role as a source of global demand.

In 2025, China saw imports increase from more than 130 countries and regions and became a major export destination for nearly 80 countries, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

Wang Jun, deputy head of the GAC, attributed the rapid growth in imports in part to the strength of China's mega-sized market and the country's continued efforts to expand opening up, speaking at a regular press conference.

Vast market

As the world's largest manufacturing powerhouse and the second-largest consumer market, China has a vast market with enormous potential, Wang said, adding that China has remained the world's second-largest import market for 17 consecutive years, and its share of global imports has risen from 7.9% to around 10%.

China is also taking concrete steps to make its market more accessible to the rest of the world. Wang cited the implementation of zero-tariff policies for 63 countries and major international trade fairs such as the China International Import Expo, which provide a "window" for quality products from around the world to enter the market of the world's second-largest economy.

These figures are brought to life by vivid, real-world stories of trade. After expanding tariff-free treatment to cover all 53 African countries with which China has diplomatic ties from May 1, China's imports from Africa grew 23.5% year on year from May to June, while imports of fruits like apples and oranges surged 89.6% and 27.9%, respectively, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.

Meanwhile, strong demand from China's advanced manufacturing sector is driving imports of key intermediate goods. In the first half of the year, imports of metal ores and electronic components increased 22.6% and 45.6%, respectively, according to GAC data.

The trend is particularly evident in Shenzhen, a major hub for smart manufacturing. In the first seven months, the city's imports of mechanical and electrical products reached 1.28 trillion yuan, surging 53% year on year and accounting for 77.7% of the city's total imports, according to Shenzhen Customs.

Shared growth

China's import market is also attracting businesses from around the world. The ninth China International Import Expo, scheduled for November, is expected to bring together more than 1,300 companies from 104 countries and regions, with exhibition space exceeding 350,000 square meters.

Behind the sheer scale of China's imports lies a deeper story about the country's changing economic structure, said Liu Ge, a senior research fellow at the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies, Renmin University of China.

The continued growth in imports of intermediate goods, from metal ores to electronic components, shows that China is becoming more deeply integrated into global industrial and supply chains, providing upstream countries with stable demand and greater certainty over sales, Liu said.

Liu added that the steady increase in consumer goods imports, from edible oils to aquatic products, along with the expanding range and diversity of sources, shows that the benefits of China's consumption upgrade are spreading across the world, giving distinctive products from more developing countries access to a vast and growing market.

China's import market therefore represents more than trade flows, Liu said, adding that it embodies the confidence and opportunities for trading partners around the world to share growth and weather risks together.

This growing role as a source of global demand has also attracted attention overseas.

An article published by Capital FM Africa noted that China's expanding market is creating new opportunities for businesses around the world.

While attention often focuses on China's manufacturing strength and export performance, the article noted that "they only tell part of the story." Equally important is China's evolution into one of the world's largest import markets – a transformation that is creating unprecedented opportunities for businesses, exporters and investors across the globe.

"Far from being a one-way trading relationship, China's development is increasingly opening new doors for countries seeking access to one of the largest consumer markets on earth," the report said.