globaltraffic.earth

Trade between China and the Philippines

In 2024, China exported $37.3 billion to the Philippines and imported $18.7 billion. China ran a surplus of $18.5 billion with the Philippines, compared with a surplus of $11.5 billion in 2019. The Philippines was China’s 27th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and China was the Philippines’ largest (24%).

Summary

China → Philippines
$37.3billion
Philippines → China
$18.7billion
China’s balance
$18.5billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with the Philippines

Trade between China and the Philippines grew 42.9-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 37.3
  • Imports 18.7
  • Balance +18.5

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1 billion$276 million$753 million
1996$909 million$429 million$480 million
1997$1.4 billion$343 million$1 billion
1998$1.5 billion$534 million$974 million
1999$1.4 billion$942 million$492 million
2000$1.1 billion$1.7 billion-$598 million
2001$1.3 billion$1.9 billion-$614 million
2002$1.6 billion$3.1 billion-$1.5 billion
2003$2.2 billion$6.1 billion-$3.9 billion
2004$3.3 billion$8.5 billion-$5.2 billion
2005$3.6 billion$12.4 billion-$8.8 billion
2006$4.4 billion$16.7 billion-$12.3 billion
2007$5 billion$24.2 billion-$19.2 billion
2008$5.9 billion$21.2 billion-$15.3 billion
2009$5.7 billion$12 billion-$6.3 billion
2010$6.8 billion$15.7 billion-$8.9 billion
2011$8.5 billion$12.5 billion-$4 billion
2012$9.9 billion$18.3 billion-$8.4 billion
2013$11.6 billion$17.7 billion-$6.2 billion
2014$13.2 billion$13.1 billion$149 million
2015$15.5 billion$16.7 billion-$1.2 billion
2016$18.9 billion$15.5 billion$3.4 billion
2017$22.1 billion$20.1 billion$1.9 billion
2018$24.3 billion$20.4 billion$3.9 billion
2019$27.9 billion$16.4 billion$11.5 billion
2020$25 billion$18.6 billion$6.4 billion
2021$30.6 billion$19.8 billion$10.8 billion
2022$33.2 billion$20.3 billion$12.9 billion
2023$32.1 billion$18.6 billion$13.5 billion
2024$37.3 billion$18.7 billion$18.5 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to the Philippines

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

  1. Refined petroleum$2.6 billion · 6.9%
    3.7 million tonnes · China’s destinations
  2. Microchips$2 billion · 5.4%
    2 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Cameras and broadcast equipment$909 million · 2.4%
    2 thousand tonnes
  4. Coated flat steel$654 million · 1.8%
    1 million tonnes
  5. Cables and wire$639 million · 1.7%
    100 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Computers$636 million · 1.7%
    4 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  7. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$605 million · 1.6%
    164 thousand tonnes
  8. Printed circuit boards$595 million · 1.6%
    4 thousand tonnes
  9. Cars$546 million · 1.5%
    37 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  10. Bags, suitcases and cases$503 million · 1.4%
    38 thousand tonnes

What the Philippines sells to China

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

  1. Microchips$5.9 billion · 31.3%
    1 thousand tonnes · the Philippines’ destinations
  2. Computer and office machine parts$2.4 billion · 12.7%
    13 thousand tonnes
  3. Nickel ore$1.5 billion · 8.1%
    34.7 million tonnes · the Philippines’ destinations
  4. Capacitors$948 million · 5.1%
    5 thousand tonnes
  5. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$777 million · 4.1%
    1 thousand tonnes
  6. Copper ore$682 million · 3.6%
    320 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  7. Lignite$514 million · 2.7%
    7.7 million tonnes
  8. Parts for broadcast equipment$479 million · 2.6%
    330 tonnes
  9. Coal$457 million · 2.4%
    8.2 million tonnes · China’s sources
  10. Refined copper$451 million · 2.4%
    48 thousand tonnes · the Philippines’ destinations

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Manila.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Manila is 1,168 nautical miles (2,163 km) long: ≈ 2.5–3.5 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$37.1 billion · 66.2%
  2. Air$18.9 billion · 33.8%

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

How much each matters to the other

The Philippines was China’s 27th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and China was the Philippines’ largest (24%).

The Philippines in China’s trade
1%
The Philippines’ rank among China’s partners
27th
China in the Philippines’ trade
23.6%
China’s rank among the Philippines’ partners
1st

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of the Philippines

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.