BEIJING: China’s trade surplus with the United States stood at $32.46 billion in July, Reuters calculations based on Chinese customs data showed on Friday, up from a $29.41 billion surplus a month earlier.

For the first seven months of the year, China’s trade surplus with the United States totalled $153.58 billion.

U.S.-China tensions have been rapidly escalating ahead of the United State’s presidential election. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Sunday that President Trump will shortly take action on Chinese software companies that pose a risk to U.S. national security.