The export figures released by China's customs agency on Tuesday were much better than economists had forecast.
They far exceeded the 6.6 per cent annual pace of growth recorded in December.
Shipments to the US fell 11 per cent in January and February, narrowing from a 30 per cent drop in December.
Exports to the European Union increased almost 28 per cent while those to Latin America climbed 16 per cent.
Exports to the rest of Asia, including Japan and India, also were sharply higher.
China's exports have been a bright spot for its economy despite tensions with the US Chinese exports climbed 5.5 per cent for 2025 as its trade surplus surged to a record of nearly $US1.2 trillion ($A1.7 trillion).
Higher shipments to other regions have helped offset weaker exports to the US after President Donald Trump imposed a variety of higher tariffs on imports from many countries.
The boom in use of artificial intelligence is driving strong demand for computer chips of all kinds.
China's exports of semiconductors by value soared nearly 73 per cent in the first two months of 2026, partly also lifted by higher prices as the world faces a memory chip shortage.
Its exports of autos rose 67 per cent and mechanical and electrical items rose 27 per cent.
Trump's planned visit to Beijing at the end of March is being closely watched for a possible extension of a trade truce between the two countries reached in October 2025, which could be positive news for Chinese exports to the US.
A recent US Supreme Court ruling against Trump's sweeping tariffs has already resulted in lower tariffs for countries including China.
China's total imports in January and February rose almost 20 per cent, up from December's 5.7 per cent year-on-year increase.
However, its imports from the United States dropped nearly 27 per cent from a year earlier.
China's global trade surplus in January-February was $US213.6 billion. Trade data is typically combined for January to February each year to help even out seasonal impacts from the Lunar New Year festival.
A slowing domestic economy fuelled by a years-long property sector downturn has weighed on the world's second-largest economy.
Last week, Chinese leaders announced an economic growth target of 4.5 per cent to 5.0 per cent for 2026, the lowest since 1991.
The war in the Middle East has raised uncertainty over the outlook for trade and for China's own energy security.
An effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a transit point for much of the world's trade in oil and gas, might restrict China's access to relatively cheap Iranian oil and also impede its broader commerce with the region.
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