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Trade between China and Germany

In 2024, China exported $160.5 billion to Germany and imported $92.5 billion. China ran a surplus of $68 billion with Germany, compared with a surplus of $11.8 billion in 2019. Germany was China’s 5th largest trading partner (4% of its trade), and China was Germany’s largest (9%).

Summary

China → Germany
$160.5billion
Germany → China
$92.5billion
China’s balance
$68billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Germany

Trade between China and Germany grew 14-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 161
  • Imports 92.5
  • Balance +68

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$11 billion$7.1 billion$3.9 billion
1996$11.8 billion$6.6 billion$5.2 billion
1997$12.4 billion$6 billion$6.5 billion
1998$13.4 billion$6.7 billion$6.7 billion
1999$14.5 billion$7.3 billion$7.2 billion
2000$16.5 billion$9.5 billion$7 billion
2001$17.5 billion$12.2 billion$5.3 billion
2002$19.7 billion$15 billion$4.7 billion
2003$27.8 billion$21.6 billion$6.2 billion
2004$39.3 billion$27.4 billion$11.9 billion
2005$49.4 billion$27.5 billion$21.8 billion
2006$61.6 billion$35.2 billion$26.4 billion
2007$74.3 billion$41.2 billion$33.1 billion
2008$89.1 billion$50.3 billion$38.8 billion
2009$77.7 billion$51.6 billion$26.1 billion
2010$98.6 billion$70.4 billion$28.3 billion
2011$110.2 billion$88.4 billion$21.8 billion
2012$97.6 billion$85.3 billion$12.3 billion
2013$98.4 billion$88 billion$10.4 billion
2014$101.9 billion$98.1 billion$3.9 billion
2015$97 billion$80.3 billion$16.7 billion
2016$98.4 billion$83.4 billion$14.9 billion
2017$110.4 billion$95.1 billion$15.2 billion
2018$118.2 billion$105.7 billion$12.5 billion
2019$116.9 billion$105.1 billion$11.8 billion
2020$129.2 billion$106.1 billion$23.1 billion
2021$162.9 billion$119.3 billion$43.6 billion
2022$182 billion$109.2 billion$72.7 billion
2023$166.9 billion$104.6 billion$62.3 billion
2024$160.5 billion$92.5 billion$68 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Germany

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

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$13.8 billion · 8.6%
    54 thousand tonnes
  2. Batteries$13.7 billion · 8.5%
    634 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Computers$13.5 billion · 8.4%
    54 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  4. Computer and office machine parts$5.8 billion · 3.6%
    144 thousand tonnes
  5. Cars$3.6 billion · 2.3%
    230 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Transformers and power supplies$3.4 billion · 2.1%
    107 thousand tonnes
  7. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$3.2 billion · 2%
    52 thousand tonnes
  8. Auto parts$2.6 billion · 1.6%
    506 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  9. Electric heaters and hair dryers$2.2 billion · 1.3%
    211 thousand tonnes
  10. Microphones and speakers$2.1 billion · 1.3%
    48 thousand tonnes

What Germany sells to China

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

  1. Cars$11.3 billion · 12.3%
    393 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  2. Auto parts$8.1 billion · 8.7%
    386 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  3. Other industrial machines$3 billion · 3.2%
    40 thousand tonnes
  4. Gold$2.7 billion · 2.9%
    36 tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  5. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$2.5 billion · 2.7%
    11 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  6. Other plastic articles$2.1 billion · 2.3%
    26 thousand tonnes
  7. Vaccines, blood and antisera$1.9 billion · 2.1%
    1 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations
  8. Valves and taps$1.8 billion · 2%
    30 thousand tonnes
  9. Other measuring instruments$1.8 billion · 1.9%
    8 thousand tonnes
  10. Airplanes and helicopters$1.7 billion · 1.8%
    1 thousand tonnes · Germany’s destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Hamburg.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Hamburg is 14,474 nautical miles (26,806 km) long: ≈ 33.5–43 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 Dover (14,474 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Dover (10,960 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$155.7 billion · 61.5%
  2. Air$97.3 billion · 38.5%

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

How much each matters to the other

Germany was China’s 5th largest trading partner (4% of its trade), and China was Germany’s largest (9%).

Germany in China’s trade
4.4%
Germany’s rank among China’s partners
5th
China in Germany’s trade
9%
China’s rank among Germany’s partners
1st

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of Germany

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.