China's goods imports rose 22% year on year in the first seven months, extending a run in which import growth has exceeded export growth for five consecutive months.
That gap underscores a more balanced trade pattern, with imports rising faster than exports and reinforcing China's dual role as both a major buyer and seller in global goods trade.
Jan-Jul imports previously totaled 12.69 trillion yuan, about 8 percentage points faster than export growth, helped by demand for raw materials, components and consumer goods.
The trend adds to evidence from the first half, when imports topped 10 trillion yuan and June alone surged 29.4%, highlighting China's growing pull on global supply chains.