China's foreign trade maintained swift growth in the first eight months of 2026, with both exports and imports posting solid gains, and import growth continuing to outpace exports, official data showed.

The country's total goods imports and exports rose 17.6 percent year on year to 34.78 trillion yuan (about 5.13 trillion U.S. dollars) in the January-August period, according to the General Administration of Customs.

Exports increased 14.6 percent year on year to 20.17 trillion yuan, while imports expanded by 22 percent to 14.61 trillion yuan, the data revealed.

A young snow leopard has been rescued after it was found alone in the Qinghai Lake area in northwest China's Qinghai Province, local authorities said.

Rare migratory birds including oriental white storks, gray cranes, Eurasian spoonbills and white-fronted geese have arrived for the winter at China's Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve in Jiangxi province, reserve authorities said Wednesday.

Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said Tuesday the country will formally apply for BRICS membership.

Ahead of high-level trade talks between China and the European Union later this week, Chinese officials and experts have warned France and Germany against resorting to protectionist measures, politicizing economic issues and framing them in terms of security.