Chinese stocks rose despite escalating U.S.-China tensions as steady economic cues supported sentiments. China's Shanghai Composite index edged up by 0.13 percent to 3,280.34, nearing two week high. Hong Kong's Hang Seng index gained 1.61 percent to close at 21,395.14. China's exports surged in March as businesses front loaded their orders to avoid higher US tariffs, while imports declined more than expected due to weaker demand, data from customs office showed earlier this week. Exports logged an annual growth of 12.4 percent in March, which was much bigger than the expected growth of 4.4 percent. China has posted strong economic growth in the first three months of 2025, before the full force of US President Donald Trump's tariffs took effect, and sent an upbeat message about how it plans to weather an ongoing trade war with Washington. Growth in China's gross domestic product (GDP) hit 5.4% in the first quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics said on Wednesday. .Powered by Capital Market - Live News