China's trade surplus reached $1.04 trillion in the first ten months of 2026, marking the fastest time to hit this milestone. Exports surged by 35.2% in October compared to the previous year, surpassing expectations of a 33.5% increase. Imports also rose sharply by 41.6%, the highest growth since May 2011. Despite this growth, there are increasing calls from trading partners for China to boost domestic demand and rebalance its economy, as the International Monetary Fund urges a shift from export reliance to domestic consumption.