News Snapshot:
BEIJING—China’s politically volatile global trade surplus surged to $676.4 billion in 2021, likely the highest ever for any country, as exports jumped 29.9 percent over a year earlier despite semiconductor shortages that disrupted manufacturing. The country’s monthly trade surplus in December swelled 20.8 percent over a year earlier to a record $94.4 billion, Customs data showed Friday. China piled up a series of monthly export surpluses in 2021 but they prompted less criticism from the United States and other trading partners than in earlier years while their governments focused on containing coronavirus infections. Exports rose to $3.3 trillion in 2021...
