ASEAN remained China's most important trading partner in 2024, with a total import and export value of about 6.99 trillion yuan. The European Union followed with a trade value of approximately 5.59 trillion yuan.

In 2024, the ASEAN was the largest export destination for China. The value of China's exports to the ASEAN member states exceeded 4.17 trillion yuan, increasing slightly from the previous year.

In 2024, ASEAN was China's most important trading partner, with a 15.9 percent share in total imports and exports. The trade value between these two trading blocks amounted to 6.99 trillion yuan. Meanwhile, the United States's share in China's foreign trade remained at 11.2 percent.

This page displays a table with China Exports By Category in U.S. dollars, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

In 2024, the European Union countries imported approximately 14.4 percent of the Chinese export volume. In that year, ASEAN was the largest Chinese merchandise importer. Distribution of Chinese exports In 2024, China exported goods with a total value of around 25.5 trillion yuan and imported goods with a value of 18.4 trillion yuan. That year, China ranked second among the countries with the largest gross domestic product, following the United States.China’s economic prosperity has been closely related to its status as the world’s factory. For about a decade between 2005 and 2015, exports contributed more than 20 percent to China’s gross domestic product. However, the share of exports to GDP contribution is currently on the decline. Nonetheless, China maintains a trade surplus of about 992 billion U.S. dollars and remains first among countries with the highest trade surplus worldwide as of 2023. While China displays high growth potential for service exports such as tourism, transportation, banking and financial services, as well as insurance and education services, the main focus of China’s export industry remains merchandise. In 2022, Chinese merchandise exports made up 14.4 percent of all global exports, whereas service based exports contributed only six percent.In terms of most exported merchandise categories, food and live animals used for food were the main primary goods. Among the manufactured goods, automatic data processing machines, integrated circuits, clothing, textiles, and smartphones were the categories with the highest export value in China in 2024.

This page displays a table with China Imports By Country in U.S. dollars, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Top Import Trading Partners of China with import value and Year on Year growth comparison

In 2023, Chinese exports of trade goods to the United States amounted to about 427.23 billion U.S. dollars; a significant increase from 1985 levels, when imports from China amounted to about 3.86 billion U.S. dollars. U.S. exports to China Compared to U.S. imports from China, the value of U.S. exports to China in 2020 amounted to 427.23billion U.S. dollars. China is the United States’ largest trading partner, while China was the United States third largest goods export market. Some of the leading exports to China in the agricultural sector included soybeans, cotton, and pork products. Texas was the leading state that exported to China in 2020 based on total value of goods exports, at 16.9 billion U.S. dollars. U.S. - China trade war The trade war between the United States and China is an economic conflict between two of the world’s largest national economies. It started in 2018 when U.S. President Donald Trump started putting tariffs and trade barriers on China, with the intent to get China to conform to Trump’s wishes. President Trump claimed that China has unfair trade businesses. As a result of this trade war, it has caused a lot of tension between the U.S. and China. Nearly half of American companies impacted by the U.S.-China trade tariffs said that the trade war increased their cost of manufacturing. The healthcare product industry has suffered the most from the trade war in regards to reduced profits.

As of 2023, China was the leading trading partner for the majority of Middle Eastern and North African countries in terms of imports and export. However, China only ranked fourth in terms of imports for Qatar and 17th in exports for Turkey and Bahrain.

Brazil Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China: Highway Construction Machinery data was reported at 49.100 USD mn in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 40.600 USD mn for 2017. Brazil Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China: Highway Construction Machinery data is updated yearly, averaging 49.100 USD mn from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2018, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 268.000 USD mn in 2011 and a record low of 4.700 USD mn in 2007. Brazil Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China: Highway Construction Machinery data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Automobile Sector – Table BR.RAE009: Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China. Export data in value include assembled and knocked-down vehicles, agricultural and highway construction machinery, engines and components manufactured by ANFAVEA member companies.

In December 2024, the trade surplus in China amounted to approximately 104.84 billion U.S. dollars. A positive value implies a trade surplus, a negative trade balance implies a trade deficit. International trade in China China surpassed the United States as the worlds’ largest goods trading economy in 2013. Despite the impacts of the global coronavirus pandemic, the total value of China’s imports and exports amounted to more than 6.1 trillion U.S. dollars in 2024.China has become a vital trade partner for many economies. In 2023, over 427 billion U.S. dollars worth of the United States’ imports originated in China, making China its second-largest import partner. A trade surplus occurs when exports of a country exceed its imports. It leads to a net inflow of domestic currency from foreign countries. The trade balance is a major growth factor for an economy. Because of running a large trade surplus, China holds a vast amount of foreign exchange reserves. Foreign exchange reserves may be viewed as a sign of national strength, but also represent a form of forced savings on the people. China was the country with the highest trade surplus of approximately 823.22 billion U.S. dollars as of 2023.

Graph and download economic data for Import Price Index by Origin (NAICS): All Industries for China (CHNTOT) from Dec 2003 to Jan 2025 about imports, China, commodities, price index, indexes, price, and USA.

Brazil Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China: Autoparts data was reported at 2.961 USD bn in 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of 2.503 USD bn for 2017. Brazil Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China: Autoparts data is updated yearly, averaging 1.750 USD bn from Dec 2006 (Median) to 2018, with 13 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2.961 USD bn in 2018 and a record low of 433.500 USD mn in 2006. Brazil Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China: Autoparts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by National Association of Automobile Manufacturers. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Automobile Sector – Table BR.RAE009: Automobile Main Trading Partners: Imports: China. Export data in value include assembled and knocked-down vehicles, agricultural and highway construction machinery, engines and components manufactured by ANFAVEA member companies.

International merchandise trade data grouped by Principal Trading Partners (PTP). Users have the option of selecting Imports, Exports, or Trade Balance. Data are unadjusted and seasonally adjusted, and are on a Customs and Balance of Payments basis.

China recorded a trade surplus of 104.84 USD Billion in December of 2024. This dataset provides - China Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Imports: HS2: fob: China: Works of Art, Collectors' Pieces & Antiques data was reported at 0.043 USD mn in Jan 2022. This records an increase from the previous number of 0.001 USD mn for Dec 2021. Imports: HS2: fob: China: Works of Art, Collectors' Pieces & Antiques data is updated monthly, averaging 0.016 USD mn from Jan 1997 (Median) to Jan 2022, with 297 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 4.539 USD mn in Jul 2008 and a record low of 0.000 USD mn in Aug 2000. Imports: HS2: fob: China: Works of Art, Collectors' Pieces & Antiques data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Special Secretariat for Foreign Trade and International Affairs. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Foreign Trade – Table BR.HS: 2 Digits: Main Trading Partners: Imports: Value.

Exports: ISIC Division: fob: China: Manufacture of Fabricated Metal Products, Except Machinery & Equipment data was reported at 0.767 USD mn in Feb 2025. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1.121 USD mn for Jan 2025. Exports: ISIC Division: fob: China: Manufacture of Fabricated Metal Products, Except Machinery & Equipment data is updated monthly, averaging 1.365 USD mn from Jan 1997 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 338 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 90.096 USD mn in Aug 2021 and a record low of 0.001 USD mn in Jan 1998. Exports: ISIC Division: fob: China: Manufacture of Fabricated Metal Products, Except Machinery & Equipment data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Special Secretariat for Foreign Trade and International Affairs. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Foreign Trade – Table BR.ISIC: Main Trading Partners: Division: Exports: Value.

The statistic shows China's foreign trade share with selected countries in 2013. China's share of German foreign trade (imports and exports) amounted to about 5.5 percent in 2013.

Main trade partners of China

China's trade pattern has been largely influenced by its overall comparative advantage in labor intensive goods. In 2013, China was by far the world's largest trade nation, surpassing even the United States in terms of total merchandise trade value. That year’s goods exports from China had amounted to approximately 2.2 trillion U.S. dollars, while imports of goods had ranged at approximately 1.95 trillion U.S. dollars. Over the past decades, China has gained a lot of importance in international trade as both production and trading economies all over the world have developed close ties to the red dragon.

In 2013, China accounted for approximately 15 percent of Japan's foreign trade, making China the main trade partner of Japan. Japan mainly exports electronic equipment and machines to China and imports manufactured goods such as clothing from China. However, this relation has suffered since 2012 due to a long-running territorial dispute.

China also has tight trade ties to the United States. In 2013, China was the United States' third largest export market after Canada and Mexico. During the past ten years, goods exported from the United States to China and vice versa have grown substantially. By 2015, the United States have turned into China's main export partner with a share of about 18 percent in total exports from China.

Brazil Imports: HS2: Vol: China: Cork & Articles of Cork data was reported at 12,688.000 kg in Feb 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 7,624.000 kg for Jan 2025. Brazil Imports: HS2: Vol: China: Cork & Articles of Cork data is updated monthly, averaging 917.000 kg from Mar 1997 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 289 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 45,045.000 kg in Oct 2019 and a record low of 0.000 kg in Feb 2010. Brazil Imports: HS2: Vol: China: Cork & Articles of Cork data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Special Secretariat for Foreign Trade and International Affairs. The data is categorized under Brazil Premium Database’s Foreign Trade – Table BR.HS: 2 Digits: Main Trading Partners: Imports: Volume.

In 2021, Russia's main trade partner was China, as the volume of export and import trade between the two countries reached nearly 141 billion U.S. dollars. China was the country's both leading import origin and export destination. Germany, the Netherlands, Belarus, and the United States completed the list of top five partners.