China records first current account deficit in 17 years in Q1 China records first current account deficit in 17 years in Q1 China Saw A Current Account Deficit Of USD 28.2 Billion In The First Quarter Of This Year, The Country's First Quarterly Deficit Since The Second Quarter Of 2001, According To Data Released On Friday. PTI | Updated on: 05 May 2018, 09:04:46 PM Beijing: China has recorded its first quarterly current account deficit in nearly 17 years, ending its dream run of accumulating trade surplus as a top exporter for a period during which it amassed the world's largest foreign exchange reserves of over USD 3.14 trillion. China saw a current account deficit of USD 28.2 billion in the first quarter of this year, the country's first quarterly deficit since the second quarter of 2001, data released yesterday by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange (SAFE) showed.