Passage 1
Already though, China’s commercial strength is starting to worry competitors. Last year China’s trade surplus surged, buoyed by exports of toys, textiles and consumer electronics. Its trade surplus with the United States hit a record $18

Passage 1
Already though, China’s commercial strength is starting to worry competitors. Last year China’s trade surplus surged, buoyed by exports of toys, textiles and consumer electronics. Its trade surplus with the United States hit a record $18 billion. Only Japan’s was larger. With the U.S. Congress due to consider the renewal of China’s most-favored nation trade status in June, officials in Beijing fear the trade imbalance could surpass human rights as a source of U.S. opposition to preferred status for China. “【The trade surplus itself will be the No. 1 problem】 this year,” says one Chinese official. “After Japan, we’ll be 【first in line for retaliation】.”
36.What is the meaning of the underlined word “though”? And why is it used here?

The word"though"means"in spite of something mentioned above"or"however".It is used to add a fact or opinion that makes what you have just said seem less serious, less important, etc. or it is used to indicate that the following information contrasts with or modifies the information given in the previous sentence.