China's total merchandise trade grew 2.5% year-on-year in Jan.-Jun. 2020, maintaining upward trend - Chinese report

According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs, China's total merchandise trade in the first five months of this year increased 2.5% from the same period last year to 17.94 trillion former (about 362 trillion yen), maintaining an upward trend.
In addition, total trade volume in May increased 2.7% year-on-year to 3.81 trillion former (approximately 76.9 trillion yen). By trading partner, ASEAN increased 16.9%, while the European Union
The EU increased by 13.7%, Africa increased by 35.3%, and the five Central Asian countries increased by 8.8%. The Chinese economy has been on a recovery trend since the beginning of this year. In May, there were 100 more business days than in the same month last year.
Despite being two days behind, it showed a steady increase. Among trading partners, trade with Africa recorded a recovery from the previous corresponding period. Trade volume with African countries in January-May was 12.4%.
China's trade volume increased by 20.3% to 963.21 billion formers (approximately JPY 19.4 trillion), accounting for 5.4% of China's total trade volume. Of this, exports increased by 20.2% to 599.57 billion formers (approximately JPY 12 trillion), imports increased by 20.3% to 599.57 billion formers (approximately JPY 12 trillion),
In the same period, the trade volume of foreign-affiliated companies increased by 2.3% to 5 trillion yen.
The total trade volume of China was 210 billion former (approximately 105.2 trillion yen), accounting for 29% of the total trade volume, which increased China's total trade volume by 0.7 percentage points.
By export item, equipment manufacturing products increased by 9.2% to 6.22 trillion yen (approximately 125.6 trillion yen),
This accounted for 58.3% of the total expenditures. Of these, electric vehicles increased by 19%, construction machinery increased by 10.7%, ships increased by 18.9%, and industrial robots increased by 55.4%.
By region, trade volume in the Chubu region showed growth. During the same period, trade volume in the Chubu region increased by 11.1% to 1.5 trillion former (approximately 30.3 trillion
Of this, exports increased by 16.9% to 1 trillion former (approximately 20.2 trillion yen), and imports increased by 1.0% to 496.55 billion former (approximately 10 trillion yen).