globaltraffic.earth

Trade between Belgium and China

In 2024, Belgium exported $6.5 billion to China and imported $14.4 billion. Belgium ran a deficit of $7.9 billion with China, compared with a deficit of $3.7 billion in 2019. China was Belgium’s 7th largest trading partner (3% of its trade), and Belgium was China’s 42nd (0.4%).

Summary

Belgium → China
$6.5billion
China → Belgium
$14.4billion
Belgium’s balance
-$7.9billion

Balance

Belgium’s trade balance with China

Trade between Belgium and China grew 7.7-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 6.5
  • Imports 14.4
  • Balance -7.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.2 billion$1.5 billion-$289 million
1996$1 billion$1.7 billion-$627 million
1997$982 million$2.8 billion-$1.8 billion
1998$1 billion$2.8 billion-$1.8 billion
1999$1.1 billion$3.2 billion-$2.1 billion
2000$1.5 billion$3.8 billion-$2.3 billion
2001$1.8 billion$4 billion-$2.1 billion
2002$2.2 billion$4.5 billion-$2.3 billion
2003$2.9 billion$6.3 billion-$3.4 billion
2004$3.6 billion$8.6 billion-$4.9 billion
2005$4.1 billion$11 billion-$6.9 billion
2006$4.3 billion$13.1 billion-$8.8 billion
2007$5 billion$17.3 billion-$12.3 billion
2008$5.4 billion$19.9 billion-$14.5 billion
2009$6.1 billion$15 billion-$8.9 billion
2010$6.9 billion$10.2 billion-$3.2 billion
2011$9 billion$12.3 billion-$3.2 billion
2012$8.9 billion$10.1 billion-$1.2 billion
2013$9 billion$9.7 billion-$702 million
2014$9 billion$10 billion-$1 billion
2015$6.3 billion$9.2 billion-$2.9 billion
2016$6.8 billion$8.6 billion-$1.8 billion
2017$7.9 billion$9.2 billion-$1.4 billion
2018$6.5 billion$9.9 billion-$3.4 billion
2019$6.6 billion$10.4 billion-$3.7 billion
2020$7.7 billion$11.4 billion-$3.6 billion
2021$8.3 billion$14.7 billion-$6.4 billion
2022$7.8 billion$17.3 billion-$9.5 billion
2023$7.4 billion$15.3 billion-$8 billion
2024$6.5 billion$14.4 billion-$7.9 billion

What they sell each other

What Belgium sells to China

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

  1. Diamonds$744 million · 11.5%
    Belgium’s destinations
  2. Vaccines, blood and antisera$584 million · 9%
    202 tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  3. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$576 million · 8.9%
    4 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  4. Orthopedic and hearing devices$279 million · 4.3%
    250 tonnes
  5. Makeup and skin care$205 million · 3.2%
    1 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  6. Polyethylene$142 million · 2.2%
    95 thousand tonnes · Belgium’s destinations
  7. Raw flax$126 million · 1.9%
    28 thousand tonnes
  8. Mixed fertilizers$109 million · 1.7%
    226 thousand tonnes
  9. Air pumps, compressors and fans$107 million · 1.7%
    3 thousand tonnes
  10. Carbon black and other carbon$100 million · 1.5%
    19 thousand tonnes

What China sells to Belgium

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

  1. Cars$1.5 billion · 10.6%
    132 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  2. Batteries$533 million · 3.7%
    27 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Auto parts$466 million · 3.2%
    53 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  4. Bulldozers and excavators$441 million · 3.1%
    70 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  5. Cargo and cruise ships$325 million · 2.3%
    143 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$249 million · 1.7%
    96 thousand tonnes
  7. Computer and office machine parts$246 million · 1.7%
    4 thousand tonnes
  8. Vacuum cleaners$242 million · 1.7%
    19 thousand tonnes
  9. Seats and chairs$233 million · 1.6%
    33 thousand tonnes
  10. Nitrogen heterocyclic compounds$226 million · 1.6%
    25 thousand tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Antwerp to Shanghai.

The estimated sea route between Antwerp and Shanghai is 14,190 nautical miles (26,280 km) long: ≈ 33–42 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Dover, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (14,190 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Dover, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Suez Canal, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Strait of Malacca and Singapore (10,676 nautical miles).

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$15.5 billion · 73.9%
  2. Air$5.5 billion · 26.1%

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

How much each matters to the other

China was Belgium’s 7th largest trading partner (3% of its trade), and Belgium was China’s 42nd (0.4%).

China in Belgium’s trade
2.7%
China’s rank among Belgium’s partners
7th
Belgium in China’s trade
0.4%
Belgium’s rank among China’s partners
42nd

Compare with

Other partners of Belgium

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.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.