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Trade between China and Pakistan

In 2024, China exported $17.6 billion to Pakistan and imported $2.8 billion. China ran a surplus of $14.9 billion with Pakistan, compared with a surplus of $11.2 billion in 2019. Pakistan was China’s 43rd largest trading partner (0.4% of its trade), and China was Pakistan’s largest (21%).

Summary

China → Pakistan
$17.6billion
Pakistan → China
$2.8billion
China’s balance
$14.9billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Pakistan

Trade between China and Pakistan grew 24.4-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 17.6
  • Imports 2.8
  • Balance +14.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$616 million$223 million$393 million
1996$582 million$342 million$240 million
1997$613 million$379 million$234 million
1998$523 million$389 million$134 million
1999$541 million$390 million$151 million
2000$626 million$492 million$134 million
2001$659 million$582 million$77 million
2002$990 million$557 million$433 million
2003$1.2 billion$417 million$796 million
2004$1.5 billion$467 million$997 million
2005$2.8 billion$695 million$2.1 billion
2006$3.4 billion$999 million$2.4 billion
2007$4.4 billion$1.1 billion$3.3 billion
2008$5.2 billion$1.1 billion$4.1 billion
2009$4.4 billion$1.3 billion$3.1 billion
2010$5.9 billion$1.8 billion$4.1 billion
2011$7.1 billion$2.2 billion$4.9 billion
2012$7.7 billion$3.1 billion$4.6 billion
2013$7.4 billion$3.2 billion$4.2 billion
2014$10.1 billion$2.9 billion$7.2 billion
2015$12.4 billion$2.5 billion$9.9 billion
2016$14.5 billion$2 billion$12.5 billion
2017$16 billion$1.9 billion$14.1 billion
2018$15.1 billion$2.3 billion$12.8 billion
2019$13.3 billion$2.1 billion$11.2 billion
2020$13.6 billion$2.2 billion$11.4 billion
2021$21.4 billion$3.6 billion$17.8 billion
2022$17.4 billion$3.4 billion$14 billion
2023$13 billion$3.4 billion$9.6 billion
2024$17.6 billion$2.8 billion$14.9 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Pakistan

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

  1. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$2.2 billion · 12.4%
    788 thousand tonnes
  2. Cameras and broadcast equipment$1.8 billion · 10.2%
    6 thousand tonnes
  3. Transformers and power supplies$614 million · 3.5%
    31 thousand tonnes
  4. Hot-rolled flat steel$431 million · 2.4%
    915 thousand tonnes
  5. Synthetic filament yarn$417 million · 2.4%
    319 thousand tonnes
  6. Synthetic filament fabric$319 million · 1.8%
    34 thousand tonnes
  7. Coated flat steel$299 million · 1.7%
    449 thousand tonnes
  8. Cars$289 million · 1.6%
    21 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  9. Nuclear reactors and fuel$265 million · 1.5%
    174 tonnes
  10. Airplanes and helicopters$250 million · 1.4%
    5 tonnes · China’s destinations

What Pakistan sells to China

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

  1. Refined copper$620 million · 22.2%
    69 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  2. Cotton yarn$467 million · 16.7%
    193 thousand tonnes
  3. Unrefined copper$283 million · 10.1%
    27 thousand tonnes
  4. Other oilseeds$218 million · 7.8%
    183 thousand tonnes
  5. Chromium ore$113 million · 4.1%
    364 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  6. Zinc ore$106 million · 3.8%
    103 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  7. Frozen fish$80 million · 2.9%
    54 thousand tonnes
  8. Rice$67 million · 2.4%
    159 thousand tonnes · Pakistan’s destinations
  9. Copper scrap$63 million · 2.3%
    8 thousand tonnes
  10. Prepared shellfish$60 million · 2.2%
    18 thousand tonnes

How it travels

China and Pakistan traded $20.4 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 86% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$2.8 billion · 13.7%
  2. Land$17.6 billion · 86.3%

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

How much each matters to the other

Pakistan was China’s 43rd largest trading partner (0.4% of its trade), and China was Pakistan’s largest (21%).

Pakistan in China’s trade
0.4%
Pakistan’s rank among China’s partners
43rd
China in Pakistan’s trade
20.9%
China’s rank among Pakistan’s partners
1st

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of Pakistan

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.