globaltraffic.earth

Trade between China and Spain

In 2024, China exported $46.1 billion to Spain and imported $8.4 billion. China ran a surplus of $37.7 billion with Spain, compared with a surplus of $24.5 billion in 2019. Spain was China’s 28th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and China was Spain’s 5th (7%).

Summary

China → Spain
$46.1billion
Spain → China
$8.4billion
China’s balance
$37.7billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Spain

Trade between China and Spain grew 16.6-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 46.1
  • Imports 8.4
  • Balance +37.7

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$2.3 billion$1 billion$1.3 billion
1996$2.4 billion$656 million$1.8 billion
1997$2.9 billion$707 million$2.2 billion
1998$3.2 billion$667 million$2.6 billion
1999$3.9 billion$620 million$3.3 billion
2000$4.4 billion$680 million$3.7 billion
2001$4.5 billion$780 million$3.8 billion
2002$5.4 billion$1 billion$4.4 billion
2003$7.5 billion$1.5 billion$5.9 billion
2004$9.9 billion$1.8 billion$8.1 billion
2005$14.2 billion$2.3 billion$11.9 billion
2006$18 billion$2.8 billion$15.2 billion
2007$25.1 billion$4 billion$21.1 billion
2008$30.2 billion$4.3 billion$25.8 billion
2009$20.4 billion$4 billion$16.4 billion
2010$25.3 billion$5 billion$20.3 billion
2011$26.5 billion$6.2 billion$20.2 billion
2012$23.1 billion$6.1 billion$17 billion
2013$23.5 billion$5.7 billion$17.8 billion
2014$26.9 billion$6 billion$20.9 billion
2015$26.5 billion$5.5 billion$21.1 billion
2016$26.8 billion$6.1 billion$20.7 billion
2017$29.2 billion$7.5 billion$21.7 billion
2018$31.8 billion$8.1 billion$23.7 billion
2019$32.7 billion$8.2 billion$24.5 billion
2020$33.6 billion$10 billion$23.6 billion
2021$40.9 billion$11.2 billion$29.8 billion
2022$52 billion$8.9 billion$43.2 billion
2023$47.2 billion$8.4 billion$38.8 billion
2024$46.1 billion$8.4 billion$37.7 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Spain

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

  1. Cars$2.3 billion · 5.1%
    190 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  2. Cameras and broadcast equipment$2 billion · 4.4%
    8 thousand tonnes
  3. Computers$1.6 billion · 3.5%
    10 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  4. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$1.4 billion · 3.1%
    47 thousand tonnes
  5. Bags, suitcases and cases$1.1 billion · 2.3%
    77 thousand tonnes
  6. Batteries$1 billion · 2.2%
    58 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  7. Transformers and power supplies$934 million · 2%
    67 thousand tonnes
  8. Computer and office machine parts$832 million · 1.8%
    30 thousand tonnes
  9. Sweaters and pullovers$816 million · 1.8%
    36 thousand tonnes
  10. Electric heaters and hair dryers$785 million · 1.7%
    123 thousand tonnes

What Spain sells to China

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

  1. Copper ore$1 billion · 12.4%
    571 thousand tonnes · China’s sources
  2. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$800 million · 9.5%
    2 thousand tonnes · Spain’s destinations
  3. Pork$597 million · 7.1%
    265 thousand tonnes · Spain’s destinations
  4. Edible offal$536 million · 6.4%
    263 thousand tonnes
  5. Copper scrap$502 million · 6%
    72 thousand tonnes
  6. Auto parts$323 million · 3.9%
    28 thousand tonnes · Spain’s destinations
  7. Polyethylene$302 million · 3.6%
    166 thousand tonnes · Spain’s destinations
  8. Vaccines, blood and antisera$189 million · 2.3%
    467 tonnes · Spain’s destinations
  9. Olive oil$164 million · 2%
    19 thousand tonnes · Spain’s destinations
  10. Bags, suitcases and cases$115 million · 1.4%
    130 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Valencia.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Valencia is 13,499 nautical miles (25,000 km) long: ≈ 31–40 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 (13,499 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Suez Canal (9,110 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$45.7 billion · 83.9%
  2. Air$8.8 billion · 16.1%

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

How much each matters to the other

Spain was China’s 28th largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and China was Spain’s 5th (7%).

Spain in China’s trade
1%
Spain’s rank among China’s partners
28th
China in Spain’s trade
6.5%
China’s rank among Spain’s partners
5th

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of Spain

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.