China ended the first half of the year with a record trade surplus of about $586 billion after exports to the US began to stabilize, with factories riding out the tariff rollercoaster that upended global commerce.

BEIJING—China’s exports grew at a faster clip in June, topping market expectations as trade tensions with the U.S. eased following a round of bilateral talks. Outbound shipments rose 5.8% in June from a year earlier,

Exports to the US remained in negative territory in June although the decline was softer than in May. There was an annual rise in exports sent to other nations as China seeks to diversify its trade. V