Pakistan’s exports to China up 48.7pc in first five months of 2026

Pakistan’s exports to China in January-May period of 2026 crossed $1.55 billion, up 48.7 percent on year-on-year basis against $1.04 billion in the same period of 2025, statistics from China’s General Administration of Customs (GACC) showed.

The increase, which is an extra $507 million in just five months, is one of the best bilateral trade performances in recent years.

Copper goods were still the biggest contributor, valued at $675 million, or 43.7 percent of the overall export value, up from $393 million a year earlier, up 71.7 percent, according to GACC data.

March 2026 was the best month with exports at $361.6 million, up 84.3 percent from $196.2 million in March 2025, owing to faster copper shipments and the start of the rice export season. April and May continued with good momentum at $331 million and $286 million respectively, with May 2026 still well above the best month of 2025.

Zhejiang Province remained China’s top destination for Pakistani exports, receiving $480.7 million, up 40 percent year-on-year, as it is the country’s main copper processing base. Beijing recorded the largest provincial gain, increasing from $101 million to $232 million as state purchasing agencies bought more Pakistani rice and sesame seeds.

Another new and important corridor was the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, where imports tripled to $53 million as trade on the Gwadar-Xinjiang CPEC network by land route grows.

Official sources have cited the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) as a major structural driver, with $2.16 billion of Pakistan’s full-year 2024-25 exports routed under FTA concessions.

Negotiations for the third phase of the China-Pakistan Free Trade Agreement (CPFTA) on around 700 more tariff lines are underway which are expected to significantly extend Pakistan’s access in cereals, halal meat, processed textiles and mineral products’ categories where Pakistan has enormous untapped potential.