BEIJING — The volume of cargo handled by China’s major ports recorded steady growth during the first four months of 2025.

According to the latest data from China’s Ministry of Transport, as reported by Xinhua on Monday (2/6), total cargo throughput at the country’s ports reached 5.75 billion tonnes from January to April 2025.

This figure marks a 3.7% increase compared with the same period last year.

Moreover, container throughput—an important indicator of international trade activity—also showed significant growth.

A total of 110 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) were processed during the period, up 7.9% year-on-year.

In April alone, port cargo volumes rose by 4.8% year-on-year to 1.53 billion tonnes.

The data indicates that the trade war triggered by the US President on 2 April 2025 has not yet had a significant impact on China’s export ports.

Although slightly lower than the 4.9% growth recorded in March, the trend remains positive.

Analysts note that China’s logistics sector is showing signs of recovery amid strengthening manufacturing activity.

This is supported by figures from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which show the manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) rose to 49.5 in May 2025 from 49 in April.

The new orders sub-index also increased from 49.2 to 49.8, indicating rising demand and a gradual recovery in market expectations.

The rise suggests an acceleration in production and growing business optimism.

“These figures affirm that China’s logistics system remains robust as a vital foundation for maintaining national economic stability and growth,” the Ministry of Transport stated. (EF/ZH)