Services trade expands in Jan-Sept period

China's services trade kept up robust expansion in the first nine months of 2026, backed by efforts to nurture new foreign trade growth engines and advance high-standard opening-up, official data show.

Services imports and exports reached 5.77 trillion yuan, a year-on-year rise of 8.5 percent. The export side outperformed imports: services exports climbed 14.8 percent versus a 4.8 percent gain in imports, resulting in a services trade deficit of 1.23 trillion yuan.

Transport services was the standout segment with a 33.9 percent jump. Knowledge-intensive services, a strategic priority for China, took a 43.9 percent share of overall services trade and rose 7.4 percent. Economists say the data signals continued structural upgrading. The country is shifting away from traditional goods trade reliance, building an economy driven more by innovation and domestic consumption.