This episode contains segments on:

• China August foreign trade data;
• China August price indices; and
• China’s 2024 outbound direct investments.

Listeners are also invited to join the European Chamber’s Position Paper launch online on 17^th September.

Contact:

We’d love to hear your feedback. Contact us at website@europeanchamber.com.cn.

Follow the European Chamber on LinkedIn, Twitter, WeChat (europeanchamber), and sign up for our newsletter here, to get notified on new episodes.

Read more:

China August foreign trade data (GACC)

http://www.customs.gov.cn/customs/302249/zfxxgk/2799825/302274/302275/6714956/index.html

China August price indices (NBS)

https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/sjjd/202509/t20250910_1961105.html

https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202509/t20250910_1961108.html https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202509/t20250910_1961112.html

China’s 2024 outbound direct investments

https://www.mofcom.gov.cn/xwfb/rcxwfb/art/2025/art_f10eb8e1d3234ee4968c893757b4e10c.html

European Chamber event: European Business in China Position Paper 2025/2026 launch

https://www.europeanchamber.com.cn/en/upcoming-events/28263/_Hybrid_European_Business_in_China_Position_Paper_2025_2026_

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 10^th September 2025.  

(MUSIC)

RUI: Data released by China’s customs authority on 8^th September showed that the country’s total export value increased at the slowest pace in half a year in August, with import growth also softening from the previous month.

MARIANN:  The total value of exports was up 4.4 per cent year-on-year, with the rate of growth narrowing significantly from July, when exports surged more than 7 per cent. This sharp uptick was largely attributed to export frontloading in July, as a 90-day suspension of US tariffs on Chinese imports was due to expire in August. The tariff suspension was subsequently extended. Concerns over mutual tariffs being reimposed also had an impact on imports, with companies reliant on imports from the US stockpiling goods in July. This then led to a subsequent slowdown in overall import growth in August, with the rate of year-on-year increase narrowing to 1.3 per cent from 4.1 per cent in July.

(MUSIC)

RUI: Producer price deflation continued for the 35^th month in a row, while consumer prices sank at the fastest rate recorded in half a year, according to data published by China’s statistics bureau on 10^th September.

MARIANN: The official producer price index showed a 2.9 per cent drop year-on-year. While still significant, this was the slowest pace of decline recorded in four months. The statistics bureau highlighted four key factors behind the slowing decrease: first, a relatively low base from the same period last year; second, efforts to control disorderly competition at low prices; third, a recovery in prices in emerging industries; and finally, an uptick in consumer demand for certain health and leisure-related products pushing their manufacturing prices up.

Meanwhile, consumer prices dropped 0.4 per cent year-on-year, decreasing for the first time in three months, as food prices dropped sharply from the same period last year.

(MUSIC)

RUI: On 8^th September, China’s Ministry of Commerce, the National Bureau of Statistics and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange jointly released the 2024 Statistical Bulletin on China’s Outbound Direct Investment, which showed thatChina increased its global share in direct investments, ranking among the top 3 investors in the world for 13 consecutive years.

MARIANN:  China’s outbound direct investments totalled 192 billion US dollars in 2024, increasing 8.4 per cent from the previous year. This means China accounted for 11.9 per cent of all global investment flows, up 0.5 per cent from 2023. Nearly 80 per cent of China’s outbound direct investments was channelled into Asia. Investments flows into the EU totalled 5.9 billion US dollars, up 9.3 per cent year-on-year and accounting for just over 3 per cent of China’s total outbound investments. Over 70 per cent of EU-bound investments were directed into the financial sector. China’s investments into the US surpassed the amount invested in the EU, despite dropping more than 4 per cent year-on-year to 6.6 billion US dollars. However, looking at investment stocks, those in the EU totalled more than 116 billion US dollar by the end of last year, accounting for 3.7 per cent of China’s external investment stocks. Meanwhile, standing at nearly 90 billion US dollars, China’s total investment stocks in the US contribute 2.9 per cent of the country’s global total.

(MUSIC)

RUI: Each year, the European Chamber releases its Position Paper with recommendations to Chinese policymakers compiled by its membership organised into working groups, sub-working groups, industry desks and forums. The paper sets the Chamber’s advocacy agenda for the year ahead.

MARIANN:  With China now in the preparatory phase of the 15^th Five-year Plan, this year’s  Executive Position Paper reviews China’s 14^th Five-year Plan, assessing both the positive and not-so-positive outcomes, and suggests areas that the 15FYP could focus on so that the guiding principles for the next five years can be finetuned in a way that enables a more open and mutually beneficial EU-China trade and investment relationship.

RUI: Join us on the 17^th September to hear about the key challenges faced both by businesses and China’s economy more broadly, and the steps that could be taken to overcome them. Following the launch, the Position Paper will be available to download for free from the Chamber’s website.

(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.