This episode contains segments on:
- China’s October Purchasing Managers’ Indices;
- The EU-China export control dialogue;
- January–September services trade data; and
- The European Commission’s annual report on the Implementation and Enforcement of EU Trade Policy
A special edition of EURObiz magazine, marking the Chamber’s 25th anniversary, has now been published and is available for download here.
Contact:
We’d love to hear your feedback. Contact us at website@europeanchamber.com.cn.
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Read more:
China October PMIs (NBS)
https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202510/t20251031_1961740.html
EU-China export control dialogue
https://aqygzj.mofcom.gov.cn/gzdt/art/2025/art_55b881aafe7d43bb9c2449646fd18aac.html
China January-September services trade (MOFCOM)
https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/xwfb/sjfzrfb/art/2025/art_8c008a074c584165aa6dbdd65bd6840b.html
European Commission’s annual report on the Implementation and Enforcement of EU Trade Policy
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_25_2569
EURObiz issue 88 (September/October 2025)
https://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/en/eurobiz-archive-2025
Transcript:
RUI: Hello and welcome to China ShortCuts,
MARIANN: the European Chamber’s weekly catchup on China’s business landscape.
RUI: This episode was recorded on 5th November 2025.
(MUSIC)
RUI: Data released by the National Bureau of Statistics on 31st October showed that manufacturing activity in China fell sharply in October amid weakened demand.
MARIANN: The official manufacturing purchasing managers’ index, or PMI, dropped to 49 points – well below the 50-point mark separating growth from contraction. This was the lowest reading since April and marked the seventh consecutive month of contraction in China’s manufacturing sector. Dragging overall activity down was a fall in new orders. Weaker demand also manifested itself in trade: new order for exports and imports both fell at the fastest rate since April. A key factor driving export demand down was likely the increased uncertainty following the 9th October announcements of China’s Ministry of Commerce about tightened export controls – which were met by a threat from the United States of 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese imports.
The official non-manufacturing PMI, which reflects construction and services activity, stood at 50.1 points in October, slightly up from the previous month when activity stagnated. The uptick was due to an improvement in the conditions of the services industry, while construction activity actually dropped further from September. Services activity grew at a fast pace in areas related to travel and leisure, boosted by consumption during the national holiday at the beginning of the month.
(MUSIC)
RUI: A high-level technical delegation from China’s Ministry of Commerce met trade officials from the European Commission for a meeting under the framework of the EU-China export control dialogue mechanism.
MARIANN: Following the meeting, the EU side’s communication suggested that China’s one-year suspension of the export control measures announced by the Ministry of Commerce on 9th October would apply to all trade partners. The suspension was announced following a meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on 30th October. The suspension of the additional export control measures—which included extraterritorial provisions—is a positive, as it will provide some time for companies to prepare and adjust their supply chain strategies. However, uncertainty remains over implementation details, as the Chinese side also said that it would study and refine specific plans in the intervening year.
(MUSIC)
RUI: According to data published by the Ministry of Commerce on 4th November, China’s services trade grew substantially in the first three quarters of 2025, with the country’s trade deficit shrinking.
MARIANN: The total value of China’s services trade rose 7.6 per cent year-on-year in the January-September period. At 14.4 per cent, the year-on-year pace of increase in total services exports was over five times faster than that of imports, which grew by 2.8 per cent. Imports, however, still accounted for more than 56 per cent of China’s overall services trade. Nevertheless, the accelerated export growth drove China’s trade deficit down by nearly 25 per cent compared with the same period last year.
(MUSIC)
RUI: On 3rd November, the European Commission released its annual report on the implementation and enforcement of the EU’s trade policy. The report’s key conclusion was that the EU’s network of trade agreements helps companies diversify their export markets and reduce dependencies.
MARIANN: The report found that EU exports most affected by technical barriers to trade were those to China. In 2024, 14 billion euros worth of EU exports to China were affected by such barriers – which included food strandards and cybersecurity requirements. This amounted to more than half of all EU exports affected by technical barriers to trade during the past year. As for market access barriers in 2024, China ranked third after Russia and India in the most barriers registered. This showed a slight change from 2023, when China was at the top of the list.
(MUSIC)
RUI: The September/October issue of the Chamber’s bimonthly magazine EURObiz, is a special edition celebrating the European Chamber’s 25th anniversary.
MARIANN: Download a digital copy for free from the Chamber’s website to read interviews with some of the people that have played a significant role in the Chamber’s development.
RUI: You will also find articles exploring Chinese e-commerce, China’s labour market, and the experiences of foreign executives in China over the past 25 years.
(MUSIC)
MARIANN: Thanks for listening, and don’t forget to tune in again next week.
RUI: In the meantime, please find useful links in the episode notes.