Summary The surge, equivalent to an additional $507 million in just five months, represents one of the strongest bilateral trade performances in recent years
BEIJING APP) - Pakistan’s exports to China exceeded $1.55 billion in the January–May period of 2026, marking a robust 48.7 percent year-on-year increase compared with $1.04 billion recorded in the same period of 2025, according to data from China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC).
The surge, equivalent to an additional $507 million in just five months, represents one of the strongest bilateral trade performances in recent years.
As per GACC data, copper products remained the dominant driver, accounting for 43.7 percent of total export value at $675 million up from $393 million a year earlier, a rise of 71.7 percent.
March 2026 was the standout month, with exports reaching $361.6 million, an 84.3 percent jump over March 2025’s $196.2 million, driven by accelerated copper shipments and the opening of the rice export season. April and May sustained strong momentum at $331 million and $286 million respectively, with May 2026 still comfortably above the best month of 2025.
Zhejiang Province remained China’s leading destination for Pakistani goods, absorbing $480.7 million, up 40 percent year-on-year, owing to its role as the country’s principal copper-processing hub. Beijing registered the sharpest provincial rise, jumping from $101 million to $232 million as state procurement agencies increased purchases of Pakistani rice and sesame seeds.
Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region also emerged as a notable new corridor, with imports tripling to $53 million, reflecting growing land-route trade through the Gwadar–Xinjiang CPEC network.
Official sources point to the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) as a key structural enabler, with $2.16 billion of Pakistan’s full-year 2024-25 exports flowing under FTA preferences.
Negotiations for CPFTA Phase III, covering approximately 700 additional tariff lines, are currently ongoing and expected to further expand Pakistan’s access in cereals, halal meat, processed textiles, and mineral products categories where Pakistan holds significant untapped potential.
