But export led growth isn't zero sum. Sure someone needs to import your products, but they are importing them because it is in their own best interest to do so.

But export led growth isn't zero sum. Sure someone needs to import your products, but they are importing them because it is in their own best interest to do so. You grow by having access to a market for your goods and services, they grow by having better access to a resource than they did before. Of course these strategies can be poorly executed and may wind up leaving one party worse off, but win win situations are most certainly possible.