China trade economy File photo: VCG
China’s goods trade surplus has surpassed $1 trillion for the first time, drawing significant international attention. Some Western media outlets deliberately amplify the narrative of a “historic high” in their reporting, linking China’s surplus with false labels such as “dumping” and “overcapacity.” They attempt to frame an economic phenomenon as a geopolitical risk, distorting the normal international division of labor into a structural threat. This is a misinterpretation of China’s development model and the global division of labor that reflects irrational anxiety and prejudice.
Correctly understanding China’s trade surplus requires a return to fundamental economic principles and an acknowledgment of the laws of international division of labor and cooperation. A surplus does not equate to “squeezing others out”; rather, China’s surplus is the…
