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Trade between China and El Salvador

In 2024, China exported $2.7 billion to El Salvador and imported $64 million. China ran a surplus of $2.7 billion with El Salvador, compared with a surplus of $1.6 billion in 2019. El Salvador was China’s 111th largest trading partner (0.1% of its trade), and China was El Salvador’s 3rd (12%).

Summary

China → El Salvador
$2.7billion
El Salvador → China
$64million
China’s balance
$2.7billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with El Salvador

Trade between China and El Salvador grew 65.4-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 2.7
  • Imports 0.1
  • Balance +2.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$39 million$4 million$35 million
1996$28 million$306 thousand$28 million
1997$36 million$4 thousand$36 million
1998$79 million$985 thousand$78 million
1999$54 million$105 thousand$54 million
2000$84 million$1 million$82 million
2001$151 million$1 million$150 million
2002$147 million$3 million$144 million
2003$187 million$5 million$181 million
2004$246 million$4 million$242 million
2005$408 million$13 million$395 million
2006$564 million$9 million$555 million
2007$695 million$10 million$685 million
2008$811 million$10 million$801 million
2009$573 million$5 million$568 million
2010$869 million$9 million$860 million
2011$973 million$7 million$966 million
2012$1.1 billion$8 million$1.1 billion
2013$1.2 billion$9 million$1.2 billion
2014$1.3 billion$10 million$1.3 billion
2015$1.4 billion$56 million$1.4 billion
2016$1.4 billion$46 million$1.4 billion
2017$1.4 billion$112 million$1.3 billion
2018$1.6 billion$162 million$1.5 billion
2019$1.7 billion$105 million$1.6 billion
2020$1.3 billion$143 million$1.2 billion
2021$2.4 billion$74 million$2.3 billion
2022$2.8 billion$76 million$2.8 billion
2023$2.4 billion$21 million$2.4 billion
2024$2.7 billion$64 million$2.7 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to El Salvador

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

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$229 million · 8.4%
    1 thousand tonnes
  2. Computers$136 million · 5%
    1 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Polyethers, polyesters and epoxy resins$124 million · 4.5%
    100 thousand tonnes
  4. Coated flat steel$74 million · 2.7%
    98 thousand tonnes
  5. Auto parts$50 million · 1.8%
    9 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Motorcycles$45 million · 1.7%
    8 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  7. Air conditioners$44 million · 1.6%
    6 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  8. Trucks$43 million · 1.6%
    8 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  9. New tires$42 million · 1.6%
    16 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  10. Rubber and plastic footwear$39 million · 1.4%
    5 thousand tonnes

What El Salvador sells to China

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

  1. Cane and beet sugar$39 million · 60.3%
    82 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  2. Sweaters and pullovers$7 million · 10.7%
    78 tonnes
  3. Capacitors$5 million · 8.1%
    9 tonnes
  4. Copper scrap$4 million · 6.1%
    424 tonnes
  5. Aluminum scrap$2 million · 3.4%
    333 tonnes
  6. Cables and wire$1 million · 1.8%
    170 tonnes · China’s sources
  7. T-shirts$1 million · 1.7%
    31 tonnes
  8. Printers and printing machines$935 thousand · 1.5%
    164 tonnes
  9. Men's suits and trousers$753 thousand · 1.2%
    5 tonnes
  10. Men's knitted suits and trousers$714 thousand · 1.1%
    11 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Acajutla.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Acajutla is 8,090 nautical miles (14,982 km) long: ≈ 18.5–24 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$2.3 billion · 83.3%
  2. Air$468 million · 16.7%

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

How much each matters to the other

El Salvador was China’s 111th largest trading partner (0.1% of its trade), and China was El Salvador’s 3rd (12%).

El Salvador in China’s trade
0.1%
El Salvador’s rank among China’s partners
111th
China in El Salvador’s trade
12.1%
China’s rank among El Salvador’s partners
3rd

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of El Salvador

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.