Between 2005 and 2020, the GDP of China grew from 2.3 trillion to 14.9 trillion U.S. dollars. During the same time period the GDP of the United States grew from 13 trillion to 20.8 trillion dollars. It is estimated that, by 2030, China will overtake the U.S. as the world's largest economy, with a GDP of 33.7 trillion dollars, compared to 30.5 trillion dollars; this margin of more than three trillion is predicted to increase to almost 13 trillion over the subsequent five year period.

In 2024, the gross domestic product (GDP) of China amounted to around 18.7 trillion U.S. dollars. In comparison to the GDP of the other BRIC countries India, Russia and Brazil, China came first that year and second in the world GDP ranking. The stagnation of China's GDP in U.S. dollar terms in 2022 and 2023 was mainly due to the appreciation of the U.S. dollar. China's real GDP growth was 3.1 percent in 2022 and 5.4 percent in 2023. In 2024, per capita GDP in China reached around 13,300 U.S. dollars. Economic performance in China Gross domestic product (GDP) is a primary economic indicator. It measures the total value of all goods and services produced in an economy over a certain time period. China's economy used to grow quickly in the past, but the growth rate of China’s real GDP gradually slowed down in recent years, and year-on-year GDP growth is forecasted to range at only around four percent in the years after 2024. Since 2010, China has been the world’s second-largest economy, surpassing Japan.China’s emergence in the world’s economy has a lot to do with its status as the ‘world’s factory’. Since 2013, China is the largest export country in the world. Some argue that it is partly due to the undervalued Chinese currency. The Big Mac Index, a simplified and informal way to measure the purchasing power parity between different currencies, indicates that the Chinese currency yuan was roughly undervalued by 38 percent in 2024. GDP development Although the impressive economic development in China has led millions of people out of poverty, China is still not in the league of industrialized countries on the per capita basis. To name one example, the U.S. per capita economic output was more than six times as large as in China in 2024. Meanwhile, the Chinese society faces increased income disparities. The Gini coefficient of China, a widely used indicator of economic inequality, has been larger than 0.45 over the last decade, whereas 0.40 is the warning level for social unrest.

The graph shows per capita gross domestic product (GDP) in China until 2024, with forecasts until 2030. In 2024, per capita GDP reached around 13,300 U.S. dollars in China. That year, the overall GDP of China had amounted to 18.7 trillion U.S. dollars. Per capita GDP in China Gross domestic product is a commonly-used economic indicator for measuring the state of a country's economy. GDP is the total market value of goods and services produced in a country within a given period of time, usually a year. Per capita GDP is defined as the GDP divided by the total number of people in the country. This indicator is generally used to compare the economic prosperity of countries with varying population sizes.In 2010, China overtook Japan and became the world’s second-largest economy. As of 2024, it was the largest exporter and the second largest importer in the world. However, one reason behind its economic strength lies within its population size. China has to distribute its wealth among 1.4 billion people. By 2023, China's per capita GDP was only about one fourth as large as that of main industrialized countries. When compared to other emerging markets, China ranked second among BRIC countries in terms of GDP per capita. Future development According to projections by the IMF, per capita GDP in China will escalate from around 13,300 U.S. dollars in 2024 to 18,600 U.S. dollars in 2030. Major reasons for this are comparatively high economic growth rates combined with negative population growth. China's economic structure is also undergoing changes. A major trend lies in the shift from an industry-based to a service-based economy.

In 2025, the United States had the largest economy in the world, with a gross domestic product of over 30 trillion U.S. dollars. China had the second largest economy, at around 19.23 trillion U.S. dollars. Recent adjustments in the list have seen Germany's economy overtake Japan's to become the third-largest in the world in 2023, while Brazil's economy moved ahead of Russia's in 2024. Global gross domestic product Global gross domestic product amounts to almost 110 trillion U.S. dollars, with the United States making up more than one-quarter of this figure alone. The 12 largest economies in the world include all Group of Seven (G7) economies, as well as the four largest BRICS economies. The U.S. has consistently had the world's largest economy since the interwar period, and while previous reports estimated it would be overtaken by China in the 2020s, more recent projections estimate the U.S. economy will remain the largest by a considerable margin going into the 2030s.The gross domestic product of a country is calculated by taking spending and trade into account, to show how much the country can produce in a certain amount of time, usually per year. It represents the value of all goods and services produced during that year. Those countries considered to have emerging or developing economies account for almost 60 percent of global gross domestic product, while advanced economies make up over 40 percent.

Chinese gold ETFs see record inflows in April, surpassing U.S.-listed funds, amid rising gold prices and economic uncertainties.

According to preliminary data, the agricultural sector contributed around 6.8 percent to the gross domestic product (GDP) of China in 2024, whereas 36.5 percent of the economic value added originated from the industrial sector and 54.6 percent from the service sector, respectively. The total GDP of China at current prices amounted to approximately 134.91 trillion yuan in 2024. Economic development in China The gross domestic product (GDP) serves as a primary indicator to measure the economic performance of a country or a region. It is generally defined as the monetary value of all finished goods and services produced within a country in a specific period of time. It includes all of private and public spending, government spending, investments, and net exports which are calculated as total exports minus imports. In other words, GDP represents the size of the economy.With its national economy growing at an exceptional annual growth rate of above nine percent for three decades in succession, China had become the worlds’ second largest economy by 2010, surpassing all other economies but the United States. Even though China's GDP growth has cooled down in recent years, its economy still expanded at roughly two times the pace of the United States in 2024. Breakdown of GDP in China When compared to other developed countries, the proportions of agriculture and industry in China's GDP are significantly higher. Even though agriculture is a major industry in the United States, it only accounted for about one percent of the economy in 2023. While the service sector contributed to more than 70 percent of the economy in most developed countries, it's share was considerably lower in China. This was not only due to China's lower development level, but also to the country’s focus on manufacturing and export. However, as the future limitations of this growth model become more and more apparent, China is trying to shift it's economic focus to the high-tech and service sectors. Accordingly, growth rates of the service sector have been considerably higher than in industry and agriculture in the years before the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

In May 2025, the trade surplus in China amounted to approximately ***** 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 *** trillion U.S. dollars in 2024.China has become a vital trade partner for many economies. In 2024, over *** 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 ****** billion U.S. dollars as of 2023.

The statistic shows the growth rate of the real gross domestic product (GDP) in the United States from 2020 to 2024, with projections up until 2030. GDP refers to the total market value of all goods and services that are produced within a country per year. It is an important indicator of the economic strength of a country. Real GDP is adjusted for price changes and is therefore regarded as a key indicator for economic growth. In 2024, the growth of the real gross domestic product in the United States was around 2.8 percent compared to the previous year. See U.S. GDP per capita and the US GDP for more information. Real gross domestic product (GDP) of the United States The gross domestic product (GDP) of a country is a crucial economic indicator, representing the market value of the total goods and services produced and offered by a country within a year, thus serving as one of the indicators of a country’s economic state. The real GDP of a country is defined as its gross domestic product adjusted for inflation. An international comparison of economic growth rates has ranked the United States alongside other major global economic players such as China and Russia in terms of real GDP growth. With further growth expected during the course of the coming years, as consumer confidence continues to improve, experts predict that the worst is over for the United States economy. A glance at US real GDP figures reveals an overall increase in growth, with sporadic slips into decline; the last recorded decline took place in Q1 2011. All in all, the economy of the United States can be considered ‘well set’, with exports and imports showing positive results. Apart from this fact, the United States remains one of the world’s leading exporting countries, having been surpassed only by China and tailed by Germany. It is also ranked first among the top global importers. Despite this, recent surveys revealing Americans’ assessments of the U.S. economy have yielded less optimistic results. Interestingly enough, this consensus has been mutual across the social and environmental spectrum. On the other hand, GDP is often used as an indicator for the standard of living in a country – and most Americans seem quite happy with theirs.

ICE Brent futures close above $66 as US-China trade optimism lifts markets, with easing supply concerns and ongoing geopolitical tensions influencing prices.

Global electric vehicle sales are expected to exceed 20 million units this year, driven by China's subsidies and Europe's emission targets, despite challenges in the US market.

Brazil's total Exports in 2024 were valued at US$337.04 Billion, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade. Brazil's main export partners were: China, the United States and Argentina. The top three export commodities were: Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products; Oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruits and Ores slag and ash. Total Imports were valued at US$277.55 Billion. In 2024, Brazil had a trade surplus of US$59.49 Billion.

In 2023, exports of goods and services from the United States made up about eleven percent of its gross domestic product (GDP). This is an increase from 9.25 percent of GDP of the United States in 1990. U.S. exports The GDP of the United States is the largest in the world, clocking in at more than 20 trillion U.S. dollars in 2022. It is additionally one of the world's largest exporters, second only to China. United States exports surpassed three trillion dollars in 2022, its highest level ever. Balance of trade The balance of trade in the United States has been a longstanding topic of conversation among economists, business interests, and politicians. When a country imports more than it exports, this is known as a trade deficit. While large export industries have been present in the United States for many years, the U.S. trade deficit has been increasing and is the largest volume of any nation.

In 2024, China imported approximately 2.59 trillion U.S. dollars worth of goods. This indicated an increase in import value by about 1.1 percent compared to the previous year. Import development in ChinaIn 2013, China had surpassed the United States as the world’s largest goods trader. That year, China’s imports and exports had summed up to more than four trillion U.S. dollars. There has been a fairly steady increase in imports over the last decade with the exception of 2009 and 2015-2016. China’s imports of goods had decreased by around eleven percent due to the global financial crisis in 2009, before recovering to a positive growth in 2010. In 2015, Chinese imports went down by 13.2 percent due to the global uncertainty following several geopolitical conflicts, disease outbreaks, and terrorism, according to the commerce minister of China.In 2023, China's import contribution to the gross domestic product (GDP) ranged at around 14 percent. In the same year, Chinese exports exceeded the country's imports by around 822.1 billion U.S. dollars creating a hefty merchandise trade surplus. ASEAN and the European Union countries were China’s most important import trade partners, with imports worth approximately 2.7 trillion yuan and 1.9 trillion yuan respectively in 2023.

The number of visitors to the United States from Chine increased in 2024. In that year, the number of visitors to the U.S. from China surpassed 1.6 million, up from the previous year's total of roughly 1.1 million.

In 2024, the total value of Chinese merchandise imports and exports amounted to about **** trillion yuan. This indicated approximately **** percent growth compared to the previous year. China’s international trade relations In 2012, China surpassed the United States to become to the world’s largest trading country in terms of exports and imports of goods. While the United States remained the largest import nation with an import value of around **** trillion U.S. dollars in 2023, China ranked first in global exports with an export value of some **** trillion U.S. dollars in 2023.According to the National Bureau of Statistics of China, in 2023, the United States was the second most significant export partner of China with a share in total exports of about **** percent. China is also one of the United States’ most potential markets for exports. As of 2024, exports from the United States to China had expanded more than ********** since China joined the World Trade Organization in 2001. The European Union was the third most important export partner of China as of 2024, after ASEAN and the United States. Exports to the EU are dominated by industrial and consumer goods such as machinery and equipment, as well as footwear and clothing. Chinese imports from the EU are mainly machinery and transport equipment, chemical products and miscellaneous manufactured articles. Hong Kong plays a unique role in intermediating and facilitating trade between China and the rest of the world. Mainland Chinese companies sell goods to Hong Kong which re-exports them at marked up prices. Majority of exports from Hong Kong are re-exports.

In 2024, the total revenue from tourism in China amounted to roughly *** trillion yuan. 2020, 2021, and 2022 revenues were estimated to be nearly completely generated by domestic tourism, as strict travel restrictions led to a halt in inbound tourism since February 2020. China in the global tourism industry The global tourism industry had contributed around ten billion U.S. dollars annually to the GDP worldwide over the recent years. The term tourism in this context includes travel for recreation, leisure, business or other purposes. As an interlinked industry, tourism has an impact on several other industries such as retail, accommodation, and transportation. In the past few years, China has been the world’s largest travel and tourism economy, with a global market share surpassing the United States. Tourism in China With rising standards of living, the tourism industry in China experienced a substantial growth spur over the last decade. The Chinese tourism industry reported a **** percent increase in revenue to around *** trillion yuan in 2019, right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Being the fourth largest country in the world by land area, China provides a wide range of natural, historical and cultural sites. China’s tourism industry consists of domestic and international tourism. Around *** billion domestic trips were made in 2024. The number of foreign tourists visiting China that year ranged at only around *** million.The coronavirus pandemic had a strong effect on tourism in China. While only few foreign passengers were allowed to enter the country, the number of domestic travelers has also dropped more than half in 2020 and started slowly increasing again in 2021. In early 2023, after almost three years of closed borders, China finally reopened the country for international travel.

As of 2020, Chinese FDI flow to Africa amounted to *** billion U.S. dollars. In the same period, Foreign Direct Investment from the United States totaled *** billion U.S. dollars. This trend - higher Chinese than American FDI flows to Africa - has been observed since 2013, when China overtook the U.S. regarding investment flows to the continent.

In 2023, Alibaba accounted for approximately 41 percent of China's e-commerce market, a slight decrease from the previous year. That year, Pinduoduo surpassed JD.com to become China's second-largest e-commerce platform.

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.

China's office supplies and stationery market has witnessed significant growth since 2011. In 2021, the market totaled approximately ** billion U.S. dollars, nearly tripling its value from a decade ago. The market is estimated to maintain its growth and surpass **** billion U.S. dollars in 2027.