Due to the yearly jump of nearly 30% (29.9% to be exact) in exports, China’s global trade surplus leapt to $676.4 billion in 2021. It is likely to be the highest mark ever struck, by any trading country so far.

This came in despite long disruptions in manufacturing due to the shortage of semiconductor chips. In December 2021, according to the country’s custom data, China’s trade surplus grew by a whopping 20.8% (compared to the same month in 2020), again a record of $94.4 billion.

And the total exports reached up to $3.3 trillion in the year 2021. This growth in the surplus and exports came while country was focusing on containing the coronavirus outbreak.