A cargo ship unloads goods at a port in Nantong, East China's Jiangsu Province on Monday. In the first quarter, container throughout at the port grew 51.9 percent year-on-year to 115,500 standard containers, and foreign trade container throughout soared 136.1 percent. Photo: CNSphoto

China's foreign trade got off to a robust start in 2021, surging 29.2 percent year-on-year in the first quarter, official data showed on Tuesday. In breakdown, the country's trade volume with its major trading partners, ASEAN, the EU, the US and Japan, all recorded significant gains of 26.1 percent, 36.4 percent, 61.3 percent, and 20.8 percent, respectively.

Even excluding the low base during the same period last year, which saw China's foreign trade fall 6.4 percent year-on-year, the latest trade data is still evident enough to demonstrate the country's economic resilience and rapid recovery after it largely controlled the COVID-19 outbreak.

What's more, the positive trade figures underpinned by China's ability to overcome challenges can serve as a good response to the US-led anti-China maneuvers. In stark contrast to China's foreign trade boom, US politicians' anti-China rhetoric and posturing is seriously detached from the reality.

It is true that the external pressure that China is now facing seem to be elevating, mostly originating from those Western politicians' disbelief and disgruntlement that China's economic miracle has kept growing for so many years, which cannot be stopped by them.

 Lately, Washington has called on its allies to jointly "tackle the China challenge" or by launching an "extreme competition" with this country. However, the stronger-than-ever increase in China's trade with its major trading partners, ASEAN and Europe in particular, speaks louder than verbal vitriol. 

All China's trading partners, including the US, have reaped considerable economic benefits from their trade with China. Moreover, the latest trade figures can also serve as a clear indication that some US political elites' goal of inciting an economic decoupling from China will not be achieved. 

While those so-called elites may turn a blind eye to the strong foundation of economic and trade exchanges between China and its trade partners, there is no reason for the stakeholders to sacrifice the hard-won cooperation. 

Given the enormous economic interests involved, it is only wishful thinking that the US could call on its allies to form the so-called "united front" to negate their normal business dealings with China, which is evolving to be the world's largest consumption market. 

At a time when the world economy is facing significant challenges, China's strong economic recovery will provide the global economy with the boost it needs. 

Under such circumstances, it is all the more important for the world's major economies to focus on cooperation to address difficulties and expand global free trade and investment, which will bring enormous new development opportunities, better than provoke ill-willed spats and confrontation with China, which won't help either party at all. 

At the end of the day, no matter how hard those Western politicians, headed by the US, are trying to double down on their anti-China campaign, the strong momentum of China's economic recovery will not be suppressed. Substantial economic interests enjoyed by the world in trade with China will continue to play as the ballast to global growth.