globaltraffic.earth

Trade between China and Serbia

In 2024, China exported $4.3 billion to Serbia and imported $2.1 billion. China ran a surplus of $2.2 billion with Serbia, compared with a surplus of $1.8 billion in 2019. Serbia was China’s 81st largest trading partner (0.1% of its trade), and China was Serbia’s 2nd (9%).

Summary

China → Serbia
$4.3billion
Serbia → China
$2.1billion
China’s balance
$2.2billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Serbia

Trade between China and Serbia grew 590.2-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 4.3
  • Imports 2.1
  • Balance +2.2

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$11 million$298 thousand$10 million
1996$52 million$11 million$41 million
1997$70 million$10 million$61 million
1998$64 million$12 million$52 million
1999$85 million$14 million$71 million
2000$105 million$10 million$95 million
2001$154 million$12 million$142 million
2002$197 million$2 million$194 million
2003$136 million$14 million$122 million
2004$547 million$13 million$533 million
2005$201 million$21 million$180 million
2006$797 million$10 million$787 million
2007$1.4 billion$18 million$1.3 billion
2008$1.7 billion$16 million$1.7 billion
2009$978 million$36 million$942 million
2010$1 billion$42 million$998 million
2011$1.4 billion$88 million$1.3 billion
2012$1.3 billion$77 million$1.2 billion
2013$1.4 billion$178 million$1.2 billion
2014$1.3 billion$59 million$1.3 billion
2015$1.4 billion$128 million$1.2 billion
2016$1.2 billion$150 million$1.1 billion
2017$1.5 billion$136 million$1.3 billion
2018$1.8 billion$199 million$1.6 billion
2019$2.2 billion$395 million$1.8 billion
2020$2.8 billion$474 million$2.3 billion
2021$3.6 billion$1 billion$2.5 billion
2022$4.1 billion$1.3 billion$2.8 billion
2023$4 billion$1.4 billion$2.5 billion
2024$4.3 billion$2.1 billion$2.2 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Serbia

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

  1. Cameras and broadcast equipment$271 million · 6.3%
    1 thousand tonnes
  2. Computers$146 million · 3.4%
    619 tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Auto parts$104 million · 2.4%
    13 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  4. Coated flat steel$86 million · 2%
    78 thousand tonnes
  5. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$81 million · 1.9%
    321 tonnes
  6. Air conditioners$78 million · 1.8%
    11 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  7. Transformers and power supplies$76 million · 1.8%
    4 thousand tonnes
  8. Monitors and projectors$73 million · 1.7%
    3 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  9. Motor and generator parts$73 million · 1.7%
    7 thousand tonnes
  10. Polyethers, polyesters and epoxy resins$71 million · 1.7%
    57 thousand tonnes

What Serbia sells to China

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

  1. Copper ore$1.3 billion · 64.9%
    798 thousand tonnes · Serbia’s destinations
  2. Refined copper$472 million · 22.7%
    51 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  3. Precious metal ore$74 million · 3.6%
    21 thousand tonnes
  4. Sawn wood$30 million · 1.4%
    53 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  5. Vehicle lights and signals$15 million · 0.71%
    737 tonnes
  6. Logs$12 million · 0.58%
    29 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  7. Carbon black and other carbon$10 million · 0.46%
    21 tonnes
  8. Wood veneer sheets$9 million · 0.44%
    5 thousand tonnes
  9. Liquid pumps$9 million · 0.41%
    475 tonnes
  10. Electric motors and generators$8 million · 0.38%
    553 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Bar (Montenegro).

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Bar (Montenegro) is 14,497 nautical miles (26,848 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 Gibraltar (14,497 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal (8,361 nautical miles).

Serbia is landlocked: it ships through Bar (Montenegro).

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$5.5 billion · 86.2%
  2. Air$881 million · 13.8%

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

How much each matters to the other

Serbia was China’s 81st largest trading partner (0.1% of its trade), and China was Serbia’s 2nd (9%).

Serbia in China’s trade
0.1%
Serbia’s rank among China’s partners
81st
China in Serbia’s trade
8.6%
China’s rank among Serbia’s partners
2nd

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of Serbia

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.