# China trade

China’s Trade Map Is Rewiring: Shenzhen and Shanghai Hold Fast as Inland and Small Cities Surge

China’s 2025 city-level trade data reveal a reconfiguration of the country’s external commerce: Shenzhen and Shanghai remain the top two, but inland provincial capitals and several smaller cities have surged. The shift is driven by higher-value manufactured exports, logistics innovations such as China–Europe freight trains, and the growth of platform-style trade centres like Yiwu.