This statistic shows the 20 countries with the highest trade surplus worldwide in 2023. In 2023, China was the country with the highest trade surplus with approximately 823.22 billion U.S. dollars. The leading trade nations Typically a trade surplus indicates a sign of economic success and a trade deficit indicates an economic weakness. However, if that were true, then the top four, China, Germany, Russia and Ireland, would be considered the best performing countries in the world. However, this would mean that the United States, Great Britain, India and France would be among the weakest nations considering that they are four countries with the highest trade deficit. In fact, they are leading industrial nations. While China is known for producing and exporting products at a competitive price, it has undervalued its exchange rate in order to promote exports. However, China is now working to reduce its reliance on exports even though they continue to export large and increasing quantities of goods. In the case of Germany, the value of the euro may not be high enough, however growth concerning the value of exports has slowed over the past few years. In contrast, the value of the dollar in the United States may be too high, favoring imports as opposed to exports.

External balance on goods and services (formerly resource balance) equals exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services (previously nonfactor services). Data are in current U.S. dollars.

As of 2024, the United States had a trade deficit of about 918 billion U.S. dollars. The U.S. trade deficit has increased since 2009, peaking in 2022. Most recently, 2023 marked the year when the U.S. trade deficit decreased from the previous year. What is trade deficit? A trade deficit is, quite simply, the total value of a country’s imports of goods and services minus the total value of its exports of goods and services. When a country exports more than it imports, it has a trade surplus, and when it imports more than it exports, it has a trade deficit. A trade deficit can mean one of two things: Either the country is failing to produce enough goods for its citizens, or its citizens are wealthy enough to purchase more goods than the country produces (as is the case with the United States). Trading partners The United States’ top export partners are its closest neighbors, Canada and Mexico, due in part to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which, pending ratification, will be replaced by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Regarding imports to the U.S., China takes the top spot, followed by Mexico and Canada.

The U.S. goods trade deficit with China increased by nearly 20 billion U.S. dollars in 2024, as China still had the biggest impact on U.S. bilateral trade. This is according to seasonally adjusted trade date from within the United States. Following the results of the U.S. elections in 2024, discussions surfaced on the potential of tariffs for countries that have a large trade surplus with the United States. The president-elect stated that trade tariffs of 60 percent and 25 percent might be implemented for goods from China or Mexico, respectively. The effects of such measures on the forecast GDP growth across the world were not yet clear. In Europe, however, Germany might be the most affected economy when the U.S. does implement tariffs.

In 2024, China's merchandise trade surplus amounted to around 992.2 billion U.S. dollars, significantly higher than in the previous year. The merchandise trade balance is the value of exported goods minus the value of imported goods. A positive value indicates a trade surplus, while a negative value indicates a trade deficit. Trade balance and partnersIn 2024, Chinese imports of goods amounted to approximately 2.59 trillion U.S. dollars, whereas total exports added up to about 3.58 trillion U.S. dollars. In contrast, China’s invisible trade balance, an indicator measuring services and government transfers between countries, closed with a deficit and ranged at about -92 billion U.S. dollars at the end of 2022. Being an economy heavily reliant on export, China ranked first among countries with the highest trade surplus, followed by Germany and Russia. The United States, with imports exceeding exports by approximately 1.15 trillion U.S. dollars that year, ranked first among leading import countries worldwide. In 2023, the value of the U.S. imports from China exceeded the exports to China by around 279.4 billion U.S. dollars. Another important trade partner for China is the European Union. In 2023, the EU imported around 514 billion euro-worth of goods from China, leading to a trade deficit of around 291 billion euros. Product categories with the highest trade deficit were mostly finished goods such as machinery and transport equipment, clothing, and other manufactures, whereas product categories with a more balanced trade sheet consisted of raw materials and agricultural products to a large extent.

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.

The average for 2023 based on 38 countries was 17.57 billion U.S. dollars. The highest value was in China: 386.06 billion U.S. dollars and the lowest value was in India: -86.33 billion U.S. dollars. The indicator is available from 1960 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

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.

Key information about US's Trade Balance

• US's Trade Balance recorded a deficit of 155.6 USD bn in Jan 2025, compared with a deficit of 122.1 USD bn in the previous month
• US's Trade Balance data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1986 to Jan 2025, with an averaged value of -51.2 USD bn
• The data reached an all-time high of -3.7 USD bn in Feb 1992 and a record low of -155.6 USD bn in Jan 2025

• In the latest reports, US's Total Exports reached 171.6 USD bn in Jan 2025, a decrease of 26.1% YoY (year-on-year)
• Total Imports recorded 327.1 USD bn in Jan 2025, an increase of 26.1% YoY (year-on-year)

United States Trade Balance: India: sa data was reported at -1.908 USD bn in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -2.040 USD bn for Apr 2018. United States Trade Balance: India: sa data is updated monthly, averaging -1.743 USD bn from Jan 2009 (Median) to May 2018, with 113 observations. The data reached an all-time high of -22.000 USD mn in Aug 2009 and a record low of -2.656 USD bn in Apr 2014. United States Trade Balance: India: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.JA010: Trade Statistics: Census Basis: By Country: Trade Balance.

Japan recorded a trade surplus of 584.50 JPY Billion in February of 2025. This dataset provides - Japan Balance of Trade - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

External balance on goods and services (formerly resource balance) equals exports of goods and services minus imports of goods and services (previously nonfactor services). Data are in current U.S. dollars.

United States US: Trade Balance: Advanced Economies: Singapore data was reported at 10.356 USD bn in 2017. This records an increase from the previous number of 9.068 USD bn for 2016. United States US: Trade Balance: Advanced Economies: Singapore data is updated yearly, averaging 162.500 USD mn from Dec 1958 (Median) to 2017, with 58 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 13.811 USD bn in 2014 and a record low of -3.963 USD bn in 1996. United States US: Trade Balance: Advanced Economies: Singapore data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.IMF.DOT: Trade Balance: by Country: Annual.

US: Trade Balance: Emerging and Developing Economies: Emerging and Developing Asia: Lao People Democratic Republic data was reported at -26.980 USD mn in Mar 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of -18.421 USD mn for Dec 2017. US: Trade Balance: Emerging and Developing Economies: Emerging and Developing Asia: Lao People Democratic Republic data is updated quarterly, averaging -0.100 USD mn from Sep 1961 (Median) to Mar 2018, with 220 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.000 USD mn in Sep 1974 and a record low of -26.980 USD mn in Mar 2018. US: Trade Balance: Emerging and Developing Economies: Emerging and Developing Asia: Lao People Democratic Republic data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.IMF.DOT: Trade Balance: by Country: Quarterly.

Key information about China's Trade Balance

• China's Trade Balance recorded a surplus of 104.8 USD bn in Dec 2024, compared with a surplus of 97.3 USD bn in the previous month
• China's Trade Balance data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1992 to Dec 2024, with an averaged value of 12.8 USD bn
• The data reached an all-time high of 104.8 USD bn in Dec 2024 and a record low of -62.0 USD bn in Feb 2020

• In the latest reports, China's Total Exports reached 335.6 USD bn in Dec 2024, an increase of 20.8% YoY (year-on-year)
• Total Imports recorded 230.8 USD bn in Dec 2024, an increase of 20.8% YoY (year-on-year)

In 2023, the main trade partner of Brazil was China: trade between both countries exceeded 157 billion U.S. dollars. Furthermore, the South American economy registered a trade surplus of 51 billion dollars with China. The United States ranked as the second most important trade partner, although in this case Brazil had a trade deficit.

United States US: Trade Balance: Other Countries Not Elsewhere Classified: North Korea data was reported at 0.003 USD mn in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 0.139 USD mn for 2016. United States US: Trade Balance: Other Countries Not Elsewhere Classified: North Korea data is updated yearly, averaging 2.500 USD mn from Dec 1975 (Median) to 2017, with 29 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 52.200 USD mn in 2008 and a record low of -0.576 USD mn in 1989. United States US: Trade Balance: Other Countries Not Elsewhere Classified: North Korea data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.IMF.DOT: Trade Balance: by Country: Annual.

United States US: Trade Balance: Advanced Economies: Korea data was reported at -1.803 USD bn in May 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of -1.617 USD bn for Apr 2018. United States US: Trade Balance: Advanced Economies: Korea data is updated monthly, averaging -267.300 USD mn from Feb 1960 (Median) to May 2018, with 698 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 626.400 USD mn in Mar 1997 and a record low of -3.283 USD bn in Apr 2016. United States US: Trade Balance: Advanced Economies: Korea data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by International Monetary Fund. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.IMF.DOT: Trade Balance: by Country: Monthly.

United States Trade Balance: Czech Republic data was reported at -78.300 USD mn in May 2018. This records an increase from the previous number of -173.600 USD mn for Apr 2018. United States Trade Balance: Czech Republic data is updated monthly, averaging -75.700 USD mn from Jan 1993 (Median) to May 2018, with 305 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 96.500 USD mn in Mar 1997 and a record low of -249.200 USD mn in Dec 2014. United States Trade Balance: Czech Republic data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by US Census Bureau. The data is categorized under Global Database’s USA – Table US.JA010: Trade Statistics: Census Basis: By Country: Trade Balance.

Australia recorded a trade surplus of 5085 AUD Million in December of 2024. This dataset provides the latest reported value for - Australia Balance of Trade - plus previous releases, historical high and low, short-term forecast and long-term prediction, economic calendar, survey consensus and news.