China’s Services Trade Expands 8.3 Percent in First Half of 2026

Dragon Media News Desk

China’s services trade expanded by 8.3 percent year on year during the first half of 2026, supported by strong growth in travel, knowledge-intensive and transport services.

According to data released by China’s Ministry of Commerce on Tuesday, the total value of service imports and exports reached nearly 3.78 trillion yuan, equivalent to about 556.56 billion US dollars, between January and June.

Among China’s five largest service export categories, travel services recorded the fastest growth during the six-month period. Travel service exports increased by 31.1 percent to 229.2 billion yuan.

The growth came as China continued to introduce measures facilitating international travel, contributing to increased inbound tourism, cross-border movement and tourism-related service transactions.

Trade in knowledge-intensive services rose by 6.7 percent year on year to 1.66 trillion yuan, accounting for 44 percent of China’s total services trade.

Within this category, exports of personal cultural and entertainment services surged by 57.2 percent, while exports related to charges for the use of intellectual property increased by 44.3 percent.

The figures indicate that China’s service exports are expanding beyond traditional sectors into higher-value activities involving culture, entertainment, technology, creative industries and intellectual property.

On the import side, transport services recorded the fastest growth among the five leading categories. Imports of transport services increased by 30.4 percent to 498.1 billion yuan during the first half of the year.

The expansion of China’s services trade reflects the recovery of tourism activity, the development of knowledge-based industries and stronger international transport and economic connectivity.

The Ministry of Commerce data also indicate that services trade, alongside merchandise trade, is becoming an increasingly important component of China’s external economic relations and high-quality economic development.