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Trade between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom

In 2024, Hong Kong exported $6 billion to the United Kingdom and imported $11.4 billion. Hong Kong ran a deficit of $5.4 billion with the United Kingdom, compared with a deficit of $3.7 billion in 2019. The United Kingdom was Hong Kong’s 12th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Hong Kong was the United Kingdom’s 16th (2%).

Summary

Hong Kong → United Kingdom
$6billion
United Kingdom → Hong Kong
$11.4billion
Hong Kong’s balance
-$5.4billion

Balance

Hong Kong’s trade balance with the United Kingdom

Trade between Hong Kong and the United Kingdom grew 75% since 1995

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

  • Exports 6
  • Imports 11.4
  • Balance -5.4

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$5.6 billion$4.3 billion$1.3 billion
1996$6.4 billion$4.9 billion$1.5 billion
1997$7.2 billion$5.9 billion$1.3 billion
1998$8 billion$4.5 billion$3.5 billion
1999$8.5 billion$4.1 billion$4.4 billion
2000$4.4 billion$4.4 billion$3 million
2001$3.5 billion$4.2 billion-$675 million
2002$3.6 billion$3.8 billion-$218 million
2003$4.7 billion$3.5 billion$1.2 billion
2004$4.5 billion$4.2 billion$310 million
2005$4.5 billion$4.5 billion$14 million
2006$5.7 billion$4.4 billion$1.3 billion
2007$5.6 billion$4.4 billion$1.2 billion
2008$6 billion$5.8 billion$233 million
2009$5.1 billion$5.2 billion-$53 million
2010$4.9 billion$5.9 billion-$1 billion
2011$4.7 billion$7.8 billion-$3 billion
2012$4 billion$8.3 billion-$4.3 billion
2013$3.6 billion$12.7 billion-$9.2 billion
2014$3.5 billion$11.1 billion-$7.6 billion
2015$3.4 billion$9.7 billion-$6.3 billion
2016$12.6 billion$7.1 billion$5.5 billion
2017$9 billion$8.4 billion$584 million
2018$2.7 billion$9.9 billion-$7.3 billion
2019$6.4 billion$10.1 billion-$3.7 billion
2020$14.8 billion$8.4 billion$6.4 billion
2021$7.2 billion$9 billion-$1.9 billion
2022$2.4 billion$15 billion-$12.6 billion
2023$3.3 billion$17.1 billion-$13.8 billion
2024$6 billion$11.4 billion-$5.4 billion

What they sell each other

What Hong Kong sells to the United Kingdom

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

  1. Gold$4.3 billion · 72.2%
    54 tonnes · Hong Kong’s destinations
  2. Platinum$341 million · 5.7%
    11 tonnes · Hong Kong’s destinations
  3. Turbojets and gas turbines$274 million · 4.6%
    134 tonnes · Hong Kong’s destinations
  4. Jewelry$93 million · 1.6%
    5 tonnes · Hong Kong’s destinations
  5. Other wristwatches$55 million · 0.92%
    195 tonnes
  6. Monitors and projectors$50 million · 0.83%
    2 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s sources
  7. Cameras and broadcast equipment$49 million · 0.82%
    144 tonnes
  8. Computer and office machine parts$38 million · 0.63%
    295 tonnes
  9. Diamonds$36 million · 0.6%
    Hong Kong’s destinations
  10. Gemstones$30 million · 0.5%
    5 tonnes

What the United Kingdom sells to Hong Kong

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

  1. Turbojets and gas turbines$5.1 billion · 45%
    580 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  2. Gold$1.8 billion · 16.3%
    26 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  3. Paintings and drawings$586 million · 5.2%
    40 tonnes
  4. Jewelry$484 million · 4.3%
    5 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  5. Platinum$340 million · 3%
    9 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  6. Other measuring instruments$170 million · 1.5%
    216 tonnes
  7. Precious metal watches$159 million · 1.4%
    3 tonnes
  8. Cameras and broadcast equipment$150 million · 1.3%
    259 tonnes
  9. Aluminum scrap$149 million · 1.3%
    84 thousand tonnes
  10. Diamonds$118 million · 1%
    Hong Kong’s sources

How it travels

Hong Kong and the United Kingdom traded $17.3 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly by air: 93% of the value travels by plane.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$1.3 billion · 7.3%
  2. Air$16.1 billion · 92.7%

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

How much each matters to the other

The United Kingdom was Hong Kong’s 12th largest trading partner (2% of its trade), and Hong Kong was the United Kingdom’s 16th (2%).

The United Kingdom in Hong Kong’s trade
2.1%
The United Kingdom’s rank among Hong Kong’s partners
12th
Hong Kong in the United Kingdom’s trade
1.5%
Hong Kong’s rank among the United Kingdom’s partners
16th

Compare with

Other partners of Hong Kong

Other partners of the United Kingdom

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.

Hong Kong, Singapore, the Netherlands and Belgium re-export goods from other countries: their figures include transit.