China Export Data

Purpose: Provide straightforward access to official Chinese export statistics for research, verification, and baseline market analysis.

Target Users: Researchers, analysts, students, small business owners, and anyone needing factual China export data without advanced analytics requirements.

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Official Data Sources

Source 1: UN Comtrade Database

Website: https://comtradeplus.un.org/

What it contains:

• - China's exports reported to the UN by partner countries
• Mirror data (what partner countries report importing from China)
• Global coverage with standardized HS codes
• Historical data from 1962 to present

Best for:

• - Comparing China with other exporting countries
• Analyzing China's exports to specific destination markets
• Long-term historical trend analysis
• Cross-country benchmarking

Access methods:

Method	URL	Requirements	Best For
Web Interface	https://comtradeplus.un.org/lab?r=156	Free	One-off queries
API

https://comtradeapi.un.org/docs/v1 | Registration + API key | Automated queries |
| Bulk Download | Premium subscription | Paid subscription | Large datasets |

API Registration:

1. 1. Visit https://uncomtrade.org/docs/api-subscription-keys/
2. Create account
3. Request API key for "comtrade - v1" (free tier: 100 calls/hour)
4. Premium tier available for unlimited access

Source 2: China Customs Statistics

Website: http://stats.customs.gov.cn/indexEn

What it contains:

• - Official export statistics from China's General Administration of Customs
• More granular data than UN Comtrade
• Port-level breakdowns
• Trade mode classifications
• Domestic destination information

Best for:

• - Most authoritative China-specific data
• Port and regional analysis within China
• Recent monthly data (1-2 month lag)
• Detailed product classifications

Navigation Guide:

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How to Query Data

Step-by-Step: UN Comtrade Web Query

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Step-by-Step: China Customs Web Query

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Data Dictionary

Common Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
HS Code	Harmonized System product classification	8517.12 (Phones)
Trade Value

Export value in US dollars | $1,234,567 | | Netweight | Weight in kilograms | 50,000 kg | | Quantity | Product-specific unit (if different from kg) | 10,000 units | | Trade Flow | Direction of trade (Export/Import/Re-export) | Export | | Reporter | Country reporting the data | China | | Partner | Trading partner country | United States | | Customs Port | Chinese port of departure | Shanghai | | Trade Mode | Type of trade arrangement | General Trade |

HS Code Structure

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Query Examples

Example 1: China's Laptop Exports to USA (2023)

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Example 2: China's Top Export Products (Latest Month)

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Example 3: China's Exports by Port

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Data Availability & Limitations

Update Schedule

Source	Frequency	Typical Lag	Coverage
UN Comtrade	Monthly	1-3 months	200+ countries
China Customs

Monthly | 1-2 months | China only |

Known Limitations

Limitation	Explanation	Workaround
Mirror data discrepancies	Partner countries may report different values	Compare both sources, use as range
Confidential data suppression

Some transactions not disclosed | Use aggregated categories | | HS code revisions | Codes change every 5 years | Use concordance tables for historical comparison | | Transshipment goods | Goods passing through China may be included | Filter by trade mode when possible |

Data Quality Indicators

Indicator	Good Quality	Questionable
Completeness	>95% of expected records	<80% coverage
Timeliness

<2 months lag | >6 months lag | | Consistency | Matches mirror data within 20% | >50% discrepancy |

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: "No data found"

Possible causes:

• - HS code doesn't exist for selected period
• Too restrictive filters applied
• Data not yet reported

Solutions:

• - Try broader HS code (2-digit instead of 6-digit)
• Remove optional filters
• Check if data for period is available

Issue 2: "Query timeout"

Possible causes:

• - Query too broad (all countries, all products)
• Server load high

Solutions:

• - Narrow query scope
• Query in smaller batches
• Try during off-peak hours

Issue 3: Inconsistent values between sources

Possible causes:

• - Different reporting methodologies
• Timing differences
• Data revisions

Solutions:

• - Document both values with sources
• Use ranges instead of precise figures
• Check metadata for known issues

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Quick Reference Card

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Output Formats

When retrieving data, you can typically export as:

Format	Extension	Best For
CSV	.csv	Data analysis in Excel, Python, R
Excel

.xlsx | Presentation, sharing with stakeholders |
| JSON | .json | API integration, web applications |
| PDF | .pdf | Reports, documentation |

Recommended: CSV for analysis, Excel for sharing