Chinese Manufacturing Growth Persists Despite US Tariffs

Agilian Technology, a $30-million-a-year electronics manufacturer in Dongguan, has navigated a year of extreme trade volatility. Despite the rollout of significant tariffs by the United States, manufacturing momentum in China appears to have sustained itself, with the country's official purchasing managers index reaching its fastest growth pace in a year by March 2026.

Economists suggest that the trade measures have led to a reconfiguration of global supply chains rather than a total decoupling. Official data shows that the Chinese trade surplus reached $213.6 billion in the first two months of 2026, while the total surplus for 2025 hit a record $1.2 trillion, matching the annual gross domestic product of the Netherlands.