South Korea has emerged as a uncommon shiny spot amongst East Asian economies buying and selling with China, as booming demand for reminiscence chips pushes its steadiness with its largest buying and selling accomplice again right into a surplus.
The nation’s commerce place with China had strengthened steadily this yr, swinging from a US$764 million deficit in December 2025 to a US$1.1 billion surplus in February, earlier than widening additional to US$3.8 billion in Could, in accordance with knowledge from South Korea’s Ministry of Commerce, Business and Sources.
In Could, South Korea’s semiconductor exports to China jumped 243 per cent from a yr earlier, the ministry’s knowledge confirmed.
South Korea’s enhancing place stands in sharp distinction to that of different East Asian economies, the place rising Chinese language competitiveness and shifting know-how provide chains have put commerce balances below rising strain.
Japan’s export volumes to China had fallen by 10 per cent since 2022, whereas the post-pandemic surge in imports from China had largely been sustained, in accordance with Marcel Thieliant, head of Asia-Pacific at Capital Economics. Consequently, Japan’s commerce deficit with China had risen to a report 1.2 per cent of gross home product.