globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Australia and China

In 2024, Australia exported $131.7 billion to China and imported $75.2 billion. Australia ran a surplus of $56.5 billion with China, compared with a surplus of $60.8 billion in 2019. China was Australia’s largest trading partner (32% of its trade), and Australia was China’s 8th (4%).

Summary

Australia → China
$131.7billion
China → Australia
$75.2billion
Australia’s balance
$56.5billion

Balance

Australia’s trade balance with China

Trade between Australia and China grew 38.8-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Australia’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 132
  • Imports 75.2
  • Balance +56.5

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$2.5 billion$2.9 billion-$414 million
1996$3.4 billion$3.2 billion$205 million
1997$3.3 billion$3.5 billion-$217 million
1998$2.8 billion$3.7 billion-$946 million
1999$3.1 billion$4.3 billion-$1.1 billion
2000$4.4 billion$5.6 billion-$1.2 billion
2001$4.6 billion$5.6 billion-$974 million
2002$5.3 billion$7.3 billion-$2 billion
2003$7.1 billion$9.8 billion-$2.7 billion
2004$10.5 billion$14.2 billion-$3.7 billion
2005$15.2 billion$17.3 billion-$2.1 billion
2006$18.4 billion$20.1 billion-$1.8 billion
2007$24.2 billion$25.7 billion-$1.6 billion
2008$33.9 billion$31.2 billion$2.6 billion
2009$37.3 billion$29.6 billion$7.7 billion
2010$54.5 billion$37.9 billion$16.6 billion
2011$73.6 billion$43.4 billion$30.1 billion
2012$79.8 billion$44.5 billion$35.2 billion
2013$89.4 billion$45.6 billion$43.7 billion
2014$91.4 billion$45 billion$46.4 billion
2015$71.5 billion$44.6 billion$26.8 billion
2016$69.2 billion$43 billion$26.2 billion
2017$90.9 billion$50.3 billion$40.7 billion
2018$97.8 billion$57.2 billion$40.6 billion
2019$117.1 billion$56.3 billion$60.8 billion
2020$111.3 billion$59.9 billion$51.4 billion
2021$156.4 billion$72.5 billion$83.8 billion
2022$137.4 billion$83.1 billion$54.3 billion
2023$146.7 billion$72.6 billion$74.1 billion
2024$131.7 billion$75.2 billion$56.5 billion

What they sell each other

What Australia sells to China

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Iron ore$75.7 billion · 57.5%
    756.2 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  2. Natural gas and LPG$15.4 billion · 11.7%
    26.9 million tonnes
  3. Coal$9.1 billion · 6.9%
    83.8 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  4. Gold$5.9 billion · 4.5%
    68 tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  5. Other minerals$2.9 billion · 2.2%
    3.7 million tonnes
  6. Bauxite (aluminum ore)$2 billion · 1.5%
    40.8 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  7. Raw wool$1.6 billion · 1.2%
    240 thousand tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  8. Refined copper$1.4 billion · 1.1%
    152 thousand tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  9. Barley$1.4 billion · 1%
    5 million tonnes · Australia’s destinations
  10. Frozen beef$1.1 billion · 0.85%
    179 thousand tonnes

What China sells to Australia

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$4.6 billion · 6.2%
    453 tonnes
  2. Computers$4.1 billion · 5.5%
    13 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Cars$3.6 billion · 4.8%
    266 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  4. Refined petroleum$2.2 billion · 2.9%
    3.3 million tonnes · China’s destinations
  5. Batteries$1.8 billion · 2.4%
    44 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Furniture$1.5 billion · 2.1%
    547 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  7. Computer and office machine parts$1.3 billion · 1.8%
    8 thousand tonnes
  8. Cables and wire$1.1 billion · 1.5%
    108 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  9. Seats and chairs$1.1 billion · 1.5%
    239 thousand tonnes
  10. Toys$1.1 billion · 1.5%
    73 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Sydney to Shanghai.

The estimated sea route between Sydney and Shanghai is 4,690 nautical miles (8,686 km) long: ≈ 11–14 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

It does not cross any major canal or strait.

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$182.3 billion · 88.1%
  2. Air$24.5 billion · 11.9%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

China was Australia’s largest trading partner (32% of its trade), and Australia was China’s 8th (4%).

China in Australia’s trade
31.7%
China’s rank among Australia’s partners
1st
Australia in China’s trade
3.6%
Australia’s rank among China’s partners
8th

Compare with

Other partners of Australia

Other partners of China

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

Methodology

Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.