China's exports jumped last month at close to the fastest pace since the global financial crisis ended, a boom in international orders that is pushing the country's trade surplus toward a record. Foreign demand kept pouring in even as several governments weighed new tariffs targeting Chinese goods. Electronics and machinery makers have benefited most visibly from the steady flow of overseas purchases. A surplus of that scale tends to grate on trading partners, and complaints about distorted competition have already turned into tariff threats and anti-dumping probes. For now the export engine gives Beijing a cushion while domestic demand lags behind. Traders and analysts will watch whether the surge lasts beyond a single month. If it holds, the surplus could set a record before the year closes.