U.S.-China Goods Trade Hits Record Even as Political Split Widens

Cargo ships are moored under cranes at the Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal on May 7, 2018. Photo: Bloomberg

(Bloomberg) — Trade in goods between the U.S. and China climbed to a record in 2022, a reminder that consumers and companies in the world’s two biggest economies remain deeply connected while their governments diverge on a range of economic and political issues.

Total merchandise trade between the two countries rose to $690.6 billion last year, exceeding the record set in 2018, Commerce Department data showed Tuesday. The data are not adjusted for inflation.