According to China's customs authorities, the country's trade surplus reached $1.04 trillion in January–October 2026, surpassing the $1 trillion threshold one month earlier than last year. In October, exports increased by 35.2% year-on-year, while imports rose by 41.6%. Export growth is being supported by strong global demand for artificial intelligence equipment and technologies, helping offset weak domestic consumption and the downturn in the property market.
Over the first ten months of the year, China's semiconductor exports increased by 111.1%, while exports of high-tech products rose by 47.9%. Meanwhile, China's trade surplus with the United States reached $32.7 billion in October. Further expansion of Chinese exports could intensify trade tensions with the United States and the European Union, potentially leading to additional tariffs.
At the COP31 climate conference in Antalya, Türkiye proposed increasing electricity's share of global energy consumption from 20% to 35% by 2035. The country intends to incorporate this target into the conference's final agreement. The initiative calls for accelerating the transition of transport, heating systems, and industrial equipment from fossil fuels to electricity to reduce emissions and strengthen energy security.
However, the proposal has sparked disagreements because it does not require the use of renewable energy sources. Portugal and several other countries insist that expanding electrification must be accompanied by a transition to low-carbon electricity generation. Meanwhile, Türkiye continues to generate approximately one-third of its electricity from coal, while Australia, which is leading the COP31 negotiations, relies on coal for over 40% of its electricity generation.
China is expanding the use of artificial intelligence and automated technologies in seaports, which handle over 80% of global merchandise trade by volume. According to China's Ministry of Transport, the country currently operates 60 automated port terminals, with the number expected to reach 90 by 2030. At the Port of Qingdao, automated cranes handle 61 containers per hour, twice the productivity of conventional terminals.
China is also expanding exports of port technologies. According to the AidData research center, since 2000, Beijing has provided $4.8 billion in financing for port equipment at 69 ports across 47 countries, in addition to $15.5 billion invested in port construction and ownership stakes in overseas ports. Chinese terminal management systems have been deployed in Brazil, Sri Lanka, Greece, Italy, and Türkiye. The United States has expressed concerns about China's growing control over international logistics and supply chains, as well as its access to global trade data.
German automaker Mercedes-Benz has signed a long-term agreement with Norwegian company Hydro to supply low-carbon aluminium, covering at least 10% of the automaker's primary aluminium requirements. By 2030, the companies aim to reduce CO₂ emissions associated with the production of the supplied aluminium from 4 kg to 3 kg per kilogram of metal, compared with a global average of 14.4 kg.
At the same time, Mercedes-Benz has revised its Ambition 2039 climate strategy in response to the slower-than-expected global transition to electric vehicles. By 2039, the company aims to reduce emissions from its manufacturing operations by 90%, emissions during vehicle use by 80%, subject to favorable market conditions, and emissions across its entire value chain by 70%. The company now plans to achieve net-zero emissions during the decade following 2039.
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