EU faces ‘China shock’ as EV imports drive Beijing’s record surplus with bloc

China sold goods worth about $148bn to EU in first quarter of year, but imported just $65bn

The EU is experiencing a prolonged “China shock” as a flood of Chinese EVs into Europe helped push Beijing to a record surplus with the bloc.

New data showed China’s trade surplus – where its exports to the EU exceeded imports from the bloc – was $83bn (£61bn) in the first three months of 2026.