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Trade between China and Ukraine

In 2024, China exported $14 billion to Ukraine and imported $3.1 billion. China ran a surplus of $10.9 billion with Ukraine, compared with a surplus of $5.7 billion in 2019. Ukraine was China’s 52nd largest trading partner (0.3% of its trade), and China was Ukraine’s largest (15%).

Summary

China → Ukraine
$14billion
Ukraine → China
$3.1billion
China’s balance
$10.9billion

Balance

China’s trade balance with Ukraine

Trade between China and Ukraine grew 31.5-fold since 1995

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

  • Exports 14
  • Imports 3.1
  • Balance +10.9

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$73 million$468 million-$395 million
1996$110 million$813 million-$703 million
1997$156 million$1.1 billion-$981 million
1998$141 million$779 million-$638 million
1999$126 million$736 million-$611 million
2000$162 million$637 million-$475 million
2001$207 million$555 million-$348 million
2002$306 million$719 million-$413 million
2003$607 million$1.1 billion-$526 million
2004$913 million$999 million-$86 million
2005$2.1 billion$706 million$1.4 billion
2006$2.7 billion$406 million$2.3 billion
2007$4 billion$666 million$3.4 billion
2008$6.6 billion$635 million$5.9 billion
2009$3 billion$1.9 billion$1.1 billion
2010$5.2 billion$1.5 billion$3.7 billion
2011$6.4 billion$2.3 billion$4.1 billion
2012$8.4 billion$1.9 billion$6.5 billion
2013$8.6 billion$2.8 billion$5.8 billion
2014$5.7 billion$2.8 billion$2.9 billion
2015$4.2 billion$2.5 billion$1.6 billion
2016$5 billion$1.9 billion$3.1 billion
2017$5.9 billion$2 billion$3.9 billion
2018$7.9 billion$2.2 billion$5.7 billion
2019$9.4 billion$3.7 billion$5.7 billion
2020$8.3 billion$7.3 billion$970 million
2021$10.7 billion$8.2 billion$2.6 billion
2022$8.5 billion$2.7 billion$5.8 billion
2023$10.2 billion$2.5 billion$7.7 billion
2024$14 billion$3.1 billion$10.9 billion

What they sell each other

What China sells to Ukraine

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

  1. Video recorders and players$1.4 billion · 9.8%
    2 thousand tonnes
  2. Batteries$775 million · 5.5%
    39 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  3. Cameras and broadcast equipment$773 million · 5.5%
    3 thousand tonnes
  4. Computers$498 million · 3.6%
    3 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  5. Cars$486 million · 3.5%
    32 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations
  6. Transformers and power supplies$390 million · 2.8%
    20 thousand tonnes
  7. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$293 million · 2.1%
    68 thousand tonnes
  8. Pesticides and herbicides$274 million · 2%
    62 thousand tonnes
  9. Electric motors and generators$255 million · 1.8%
    9 thousand tonnes
  10. New tires$222 million · 1.6%
    75 thousand tonnes · China’s destinations

What Ukraine sells to China

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

  1. Corn$1.1 billion · 36.1%
    3.5 million tonnes · Ukraine’s destinations
  2. Iron ore$1.1 billion · 34.2%
    15 million tonnes · Ukraine’s destinations
  3. Meal from other oilseeds$339 million · 11%
    1.5 million tonnes
  4. Barley$219 million · 7.1%
    1.3 million tonnes · China’s sources
  5. Sunflower, safflower and cottonseed oil$105 million · 3.4%
    140 thousand tonnes
  6. Rapeseed and mustard oil$49 million · 1.6%
    60 thousand tonnes
  7. Frozen beef$22 million · 0.7%
    5 thousand tonnes
  8. Cables and wire$18 million · 0.58%
    396 tonnes · China’s sources
  9. Soybeans$13 million · 0.42%
    38 thousand tonnes · Ukraine’s destinations
  10. Coal$13 million · 0.41%
    51 thousand tonnes · China’s sources

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Shanghai to Odesa.

The estimated sea route between Shanghai and Odesa is 15,216 nautical miles (28,180 km) long: ≈ 35–45.5 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, the Strait of Gibraltar, the Dardanelles and the Bosporus (15,216 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Dardanelles and the Bosporus (8,488 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$13.1 billion · 77%
  2. Air$3.9 billion · 23%

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

How much each matters to the other

Ukraine was China’s 52nd largest trading partner (0.3% of its trade), and China was Ukraine’s largest (15%).

Ukraine in China’s trade
0.3%
Ukraine’s rank among China’s partners
52nd
China in Ukraine’s trade
14.6%
China’s rank among Ukraine’s partners
1st

Compare with

Other partners of China

Other partners of Ukraine

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.