China's services trade up 6% in first five months amid strong export growth

(ECNS) - China's services trade rose 6% year-on-year in the first five months of 2026, driven by strong export growth, official data showed.

Total services trade reached 3.1 trillion yuan ($456.81 billion) during the January-May period, with exports up 15.9% and imports up 0.4%, the Commerce Ministry said. The services trade deficit narrowed by 160.7 billion yuan from a year earlier.

Knowledge-intensive services accounted for 44.2% of total trade, with exports in the sector rising 12.2%. Intellectual property royalties, as well as personal cultural and entertainment services, recorded the fastest export growth.

Travel services exports increased 31.3%, while transport services imports rose 26.7%, making them among the fastest-growing categories.

(By Zhang Jiahao)