Germany’s statistics office, Destatis, reports that China has reclaimed its position as Germany’s main trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling €251.8 billion last year, a 2.1% increase year-on-year.
China had been Germany’s leading partner from 2016 through 2023, while the US briefly overtook it in 2024. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is scheduled to visit China next week to discuss trade and other issues.
Germany imported €170.6 billion of goods from China, an 8.8% rise. Major Chinese exports to Germany included data processing equipment, electrical goods and machinery. German exports to China fell to €81.3 billion, down 9.7% compared with the previous year.
The United States remained Germany’s second-largest partner, with total trade of €240.5 billion, a 5% decline. German exports to the US dropped to €146.2 billion, a 9.4% decrease; the automotive sector — cars and car parts — was among the hardest hit, falling 17.8%. The report notes this decline followed tariffs on certain imports imposed by US President Donald Trump.
Edited by Roshni Majumdar