U.S. imports from China finished the year strong after some companies stockpiled shipments of apparel, toys, furniture and electronics ahead of President-elect Donald Trump's plan to impose new tariffs that could revive a trade war between the world's economic superpowers.

The migration of manufacturing to Mexico could undermine Trump’s promise to voters that ratcheting up tariffs on China would incentivize companies to bring production back to the U.S and give American companies a more even playing field.

China’s exports in December grew at a faster pace than expected, as factories rushed to fill orders to beat higher tariffs that U.S.