China Export Data

Access and retrieve China's official export statistics from authoritative sources. Provides step-by-step guidance for querying trade data by HS code, destina...

Security Scan

The skill is an instruction-only guide for querying official China export statistics (UN Comtrade and China Customs); its requirements and instructions are consistent with that purpose and it does not request credentials, installs, or broad system access.

Purpose & Capability

The name and description promise step‑by‑step guidance to obtain China export statistics; the SKILL.md contains detailed navigation and query instructions for UN Comtrade and China Customs, which matches the stated purpose. There are no unrelated requirements (no binaries, no env vars) that contradict the description.

Instruction Scope

Instructions are limited to visiting official websites, using their query builders, selecting HS codes/partners/time periods, and exporting CSV/Excel results. The doc does not instruct reading local files, accessing unrelated system state, or transmitting data to external endpoints beyond the referenced official services.

Install Mechanism

No install spec and no code files — instruction-only. This is the lowest-risk model (nothing is written to disk or installed by the skill).

Credentials

The skill declares no required environment variables or credentials. The SKILL.md correctly notes that UN Comtrade offers an API requiring registration/API key for automated access; the skill does not itself request that key, which is reasonable for a manual guide but worth noting if you plan to automate queries.

Persistence & Privilege

always is false and the skill is user-invocable; it does not request persistent or elevated privileges or attempt to modify other skills or system-wide settings.

Assessment

This skill is an instruction-only guide that points you to official data portals and explains how to run queries — low intrinsic risk. Before using it: verify the URLs match the official domains (note China Customs is listed with an http link which may redirect to https), do not paste any secret keys into unknown skills, and if you plan to automate queries follow UN Comtrade's API registration and store any API keys securely. If you need automation beyond manual web queries, expect to supply an API key (not requested by this skill) and consider implementing rate limits and secure storage for credentials.

Purpose: Provide straightforward access to official Chinese export statistics for research, verification, and baseline market analysis.

Target Users: Researchers, analysts, students, small business owners, and anyone needing factual China export data without advanced analytics requirements.

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Official Data Sources

Source 1: UN Comtrade Database

Website: https://comtradeplus.un.org/

What it contains:

• China's exports reported to the UN by partner countries
• Mirror data (what partner countries report importing from China)
• Global coverage with standardized HS codes
• Historical data from 1962 to present

Best for:

• Comparing China with other exporting countries
• Analyzing China's exports to specific destination markets
• Long-term historical trend analysis
• Cross-country benchmarking

Access methods:

Method	URL	Requirements	Best For
Web Interface	https://comtradeplus.un.org/lab?r=156	Free	One-off queries
API	https://comtradeapi.un.org/docs/v1	Registration + API key	Automated queries
Bulk Download	Premium subscription	Paid subscription	Large datasets

API Registration:

1. Visit https://uncomtrade.org/docs/api-subscription-keys/
2. Create account
3. Request API key for "comtrade - v1" (free tier: 100 calls/hour)
4. Premium tier available for unlimited access

Source 2: China Customs Statistics

Website: http://stats.customs.gov.cn/indexEn

What it contains:

• Official export statistics from China's General Administration of Customs
• More granular data than UN Comtrade
• Port-level breakdowns
• Trade mode classifications
• Domestic destination information

Best for:

• Most authoritative China-specific data
• Port and regional analysis within China
• Recent monthly data (1-2 month lag)
• Detailed product classifications

Navigation Guide:

English Interface Navigation:

Home (http://stats.customs.gov.cn/indexEn)
├── Query by HS Code
│   ├── Select Year/Month
│   ├── Select HS Code (Chapter → Heading → Subheading)
│   ├── Select Trade Flow (Export/Import)
│   └── Select Filters (optional)
├── Query by Country/Region
│   ├── Select Partner Country
│   ├── Select Time Period
│   └── Select Product Category
└── Query by Customs Port
    ├── Select Port
    ├── Select Time Period
    └── Select Product/Partner

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How to Query Data

Step-by-Step: UN Comtrade Web Query

Step 1: Access Query Builder
→ Go to https://comtradeplus.un.org/lab?r=156
   (Pre-filtered for China as reporter)

Step 2: Select Trade Flow
→ Click "Flow" dropdown
→ Select "Exports" (or "Re-exports" if needed)

Step 3: Select Partner Country
→ Click "Partner" field
→ Search and select destination country
→ Or select "All" for global exports

Step 4: Select Product (HS Code)
→ Click "Commodity Code" field
→ Choose classification level:
   • HS 2-digit (broad category, e.g., "84 - Machinery")
   • HS 4-digit (specific heading)
   • HS 6-digit (detailed subheading)
→ Enter or select code

Step 5: Select Time Period
→ Choose "Year" (single or range)
→ For monthly data, select specific months

Step 6: Run Query
→ Click "Preview" for quick view
→ Click "Download" for CSV/Excel export

Step 7: Interpret Results
Columns explained:
• Reporter: Exporting country (China)
• Partner: Importing country
• Trade Value (USD): Export value in US dollars
• Netweight (kg): Quantity in kilograms
• Quantity: Alternative unit (if applicable)

Step-by-Step: China Customs Web Query

Step 1: Access English Interface
→ Go to http://stats.customs.gov.cn/indexEn

Step 2: Choose Query Type
→ "Query by HS Code" for product-focused search
→ "Query by Country/Region" for market-focused search
→ "Query by Customs Port" for logistics analysis

Step 3: Set Parameters
For HS Code Query:
→ Select Year and Month (or range)
→ Click HS Code selector
   • Expand chapters (01-97)
   • Select 2-digit chapter
   • Select 4-digit heading
   • Select 6-digit subheading (optional)
→ Select Trade Flow: "Export"
→ Apply additional filters (optional):
   • Trade Mode (General, Processing, etc.)
   • Customs Port
   • Domestic Destination
   • Transport Mode

Step 4: Execute Query
→ Click "Query" button
→ Wait for results (may take 10-30 seconds)

Step 5: Review Results
→ Table shows: HS Code, Description, Unit, Quantity, Value
→ Click column headers to sort
→ Use pagination for large result sets

Step 6: Export Data
→ Click "Export" or download icon
→ Choose format (Excel/CSV)
→ Save to local drive

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Data Dictionary

Common Fields Explained

Field	Description	Example
HS Code	Harmonized System product classification	8517.12 (Phones)
Trade Value	Export value in US dollars	$1,234,567
Netweight	Weight in kilograms	50,000 kg
Quantity	Product-specific unit (if different from kg)	10,000 units
Trade Flow	Direction of trade (Export/Import/Re-export)	Export
Reporter	Country reporting the data	China
Partner	Trading partner country	United States
Customs Port	Chinese port of departure	Shanghai
Trade Mode	Type of trade arrangement	General Trade

HS Code Structure

HS Code Hierarchy Example (Electronics):

85          ← Chapter (2-digit): Electrical machinery
  ↓
8517        ← Heading (4-digit): Telephone sets
  ↓
8517.12     ← Subheading (6-digit): Phones for cellular networks
  ↓
8517.12.00  ← Full code (8-digit): Detailed classification

Where to find HS codes:
• https://www.trade.gov/harmonized-system-hs-codes
• https://www.foreign-trade.com/reference/hscode.htm
• China Customs website HS code lookup

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Query Examples

Example 1: China's Laptop Exports to USA (2023)

UN Comtrade Query:
├── Reporter: China (156)
├── Partner: United States (842)
├── Flow: Exports (2)
├── HS Code: 8471.30 (Laptops)
└── Period: 2023

China Customs Query:
├── HS Code: 8471.30
├── Trade Flow: Export
├── Partner: United States
└── Period: 2023

Example 2: China's Top Export Products (Latest Month)

China Customs Query:
├── Query Type: Top Products
├── Trade Flow: Export
├── Period: Latest available month
└── Result: Sorted by trade value

Example 3: China's Exports by Port

China Customs Query:
├── Query Type: By Customs Port
├── Select Port: All (or specific like Shanghai, Shenzhen)
├── HS Code: Your product
├── Trade Flow: Export
└── Period: Select time range

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Data Availability & Limitations

Update Schedule

Source	Frequency	Typical Lag	Coverage
UN Comtrade	Monthly	1-3 months	200+ countries
China Customs	Monthly	1-2 months	China only

Known Limitations

Limitation	Explanation	Workaround
Mirror data discrepancies	Partner countries may report different values	Compare both sources, use as range
Confidential data suppression	Some transactions not disclosed	Use aggregated categories
HS code revisions	Codes change every 5 years	Use concordance tables for historical comparison
Transshipment goods	Goods passing through China may be included	Filter by trade mode when possible

Data Quality Indicators

Indicator	Good Quality	Questionable
Completeness	>95% of expected records	<80% coverage
Timeliness	<2 months lag	>6 months lag
Consistency	Matches mirror data within 20%	>50% discrepancy

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Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: "No data found"

Possible causes:

• HS code doesn't exist for selected period
• Too restrictive filters applied
• Data not yet reported

Solutions:

• Try broader HS code (2-digit instead of 6-digit)
• Remove optional filters
• Check if data for period is available

Issue 2: "Query timeout"

Possible causes:

• Query too broad (all countries, all products)
• Server load high

Solutions:

• Narrow query scope
• Query in smaller batches
• Try during off-peak hours

Issue 3: Inconsistent values between sources

Possible causes:

• Different reporting methodologies
• Timing differences
• Data revisions

Solutions:

• Document both values with sources
• Use ranges instead of precise figures
• Check metadata for known issues

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Quick Reference Card

┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              CHINA EXPORT DATA - QUICK ACCESS              │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ UN COMTRADE                                                │
│ URL: comtradeplus.un.org                                   │
│ Best for: Global comparison, historical data               │
│ API: 100 calls/hour (free)                                 │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ CHINA CUSTOMS                                              │
│ URL: stats.customs.gov.cn/indexEn                          │
│ Best for: Official China data, port details                │
│ Update: Monthly (1-2 month lag)                            │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ HS CODE LOOKUP                                             │
│ trade.gov/harmonized-system-hs-codes                       │
│ foreign-trade.com/reference/hscode.htm                     │
├────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ NEED HELP?                                                 │
│ UN Comtrade: unstats.un.org/wiki/display/comtrade          │
│ China Customs: Contact via website                         │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

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Output Formats

When retrieving data, you can typically export as:

Format	Extension	Best For
CSV	.csv	Data analysis in Excel, Python, R
Excel	.xlsx	Presentation, sharing with stakeholders
JSON	.json	API integration, web applications
PDF	.pdf	Reports, documentation

Recommended: CSV for analysis, Excel for sharing