globaltraffic.earth

Trade between China and Egypt

In 2024, China exported $16.3 billion to Egypt and imported $664 million. China ran a surplus of $15.6 billion with Egypt, compared with a surplus of $11.4 billion in 2019. Egypt was China’s 53rd largest trading partner (0.3% of its trade), and China was Egypt’s largest (11%).

Summary

China → Egypt
$16.3billion
Egypt → China
$664million
China’s balance
$15.6billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Egypt

Trade between China and Egypt grew 38.9-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 16.3
  • Imports 0.7
  • Balance +15.6

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$422 million$14 million$408 million
1996$392 million$8 million$384 million
1997$441 million$53 million$388 million
1998$626 million$30 million$596 million
1999$787 million$39 million$748 million
2000$924 million$109 million$815 million
2001$836 million$82 million$753 million
2002$845 million$261 million$584 million
2003$903 million$184 million$719 million
2004$1.3 billion$206 million$1.1 billion
2005$1.5 billion$228 million$1.3 billion
2006$2.1 billion$252 million$1.8 billion
2007$2.9 billion$259 million$2.6 billion
2008$5.2 billion$495 million$4.7 billion
2009$4.6 billion$1 billion$3.6 billion
2010$6 billion$1.1 billion$4.9 billion
2011$7.2 billion$1.5 billion$5.6 billion
2012$8.5 billion$1.2 billion$7.2 billion
2013$8.1 billion$1.8 billion$6.4 billion
2014$9.5 billion$1.1 billion$8.4 billion
2015$11.2 billion$949 million$10.3 billion
2016$9.9 billion$590 million$9.3 billion
2017$10 billion$1.4 billion$8.6 billion
2018$13.2 billion$1.8 billion$11.4 billion
2019$12.4 billion$1 billion$11.4 billion
2020$13.2 billion$967 million$12.3 billion
2021$16.2 billion$1.8 billion$14.4 billion
2022$15.2 billion$1.2 billion$14.1 billion
2023$14 billion$1.3 billion$12.7 billion
2024$16.3 billion$664 million$15.6 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Egypt

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

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$1 billion · 6.3%
    10 thousand tonnes
  2. Synthetic filament yarn$686 million · 4.2%
    427 thousand tonnes
  3. Cars$613 million · 3.8%
    70 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  4. Polycarboxylic acids$423 million · 2.6%
    421 thousand tonnes
  5. Synthetic filament fabric$403 million · 2.5%
    83 thousand tonnes
  6. Hot-rolled flat steel$387 million · 2.4%
    561 thousand tonnes
  7. Other knitted fabric$327 million · 2%
    61 thousand tonnes
  8. Transformers and power supplies$271 million · 1.7%
    29 thousand tonnes
  9. Generating sets$241 million · 1.5%
    29 thousand tonnes
  10. Auto parts$230 million · 1.4%
    32 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations

What Egypt sells to China

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

  1. Raw flax$98 million · 14.8%
    17 thousand tonnes
  2. Natural phosphates$98 million · 14.7%
    849 thousand tonnes
  3. Natural gas and LPG$81 million · 12.2%
    127 thousand tonnes
  4. Frozen fruit$46 million · 7%
    32 thousand tonnes
  5. Copper scrap$46 million · 6.9%
    5 thousand tonnes
  6. Titanium ore$43 million · 6.4%
    155 thousand tonnes
  7. Tanned cattle hides$33 million · 4.9%
    4 thousand tonnes
  8. Citrus fruit$31 million · 4.6%
    40 thousand tonnes
  9. Marble and travertine$15 million · 2.2%
    133 thousand tonnes
  10. Raw cotton$14 million · 2.1%
    4 thousand tonnes · China’s sources

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Alexandria.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Alexandria is 14,954 nautical miles (27,695 km) long: ≈ 34.5–44.5 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Gibraltar (14,954 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal (7,484 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$14.7 billion · 86.8%
  2. Air$2.2 billion · 13.2%

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

How much each matters to the other

Egypt was China’s 53rd largest trading partner (0.3% of its trade), and China was Egypt’s largest (11%).

Egypt in China’s trade
0.3%
Egypt’s rank among China’s partners
53rd
China in Egypt’s trade
11.1%
China’s rank among Egypt’s partners
1st

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of Egypt

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.