China's export growth in July sharply beat market expectations as the clock on a tariff truce with the U.S. keeps ticking, while imports rose to their highest in a year.

Exports climbed 7.2% in July in U.S. dollar terms from a year earlier, customs data showed Thursday.

Imports rose 4.1% last month from a year earlier, marking the biggest jump since July 2024, according to LSEG data. The data also indicated a recovery in import levels following June's 1.1% rebound.

On a year-to-date basis, China's overall exports jumped 6.1% from a year earlier, while imports fell 2.7%, customs data showed. China's trade surplus this year, as of July, reached $683.5 billion, 32% higher than the same period in 2024.

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