With a foreign trade turnover (total of goods exports and imports) of 251.8 billion euros (about 296.9 billion U.S. dollars), China became Germany’s most important trading partner again in 2025, a title it also held in the period from 2016 to 2023, according to a report released by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany on Friday.
Germany's trade in goods with China grew by 2.1 percent in 2025, the report said.
Since 2015, China has been the most important source of German imports. In 2025, German imports from China totaled 170.6 billion euros, and its exports were 81.3 billion euros, it said.
Meanwhile, U.S. tariff policies and trade disputes had a certain impact on German-U.S. trade. In 2025, the trade between the two countries totaled 240.5 billion euros, down 5.0 percent year on year. German exports to the U.S. amounted to 146.2 billion euros, down 9.4 percent year on year.
On the whole, in 2025, the total exports of German goods increased by 0.9 percent year on year to 1,563 billion euros, and the total imports increased by 4.3 percent year on year to 1,362.5 billion euros. The annual trade surplus amounted to 200.5 billion euros, representing a decline of 42.4 billion euros compared to 2024.
China becomes Germany's most important trading partner once again in 2025
China becomes Germany's most important trading partner once again in 2025
China becomes Germany's most important trading partner once again in 2025
China's Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined the key priorities of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting, which opened on Friday in Suzhou, East China's Jiangsu province.
In an interview with CGTN ahead of the two-day meeting, Wang said free trade, digital cooperation and green economy are high on the agenda of the meeting.
"The key areas include advancing regional economic integration and the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, supporting the World Trade Organization (WTO) in strengthening digital cooperation and developing green economy. At present, the international situation is marked by intertwined turbulence and chaos, with intensified geopolitical instability. The rise of unilateralism and protectionism poses serious challenges to the international economic and trade order, disrupting global and Asia-Pacific development. Against this backdrop, all parties have higher expectations for this trade ministers' meeting, hoping that it can build consensus and deliver outcomes," Wang said.
This year marks China's third time hosting the APEC meetings and the 35th anniversary of its membership.
By 2025, China had become the largest trading partner of 13 APEC economies. Trade between China and APEC economies reached 3.7 trillion U.S. dollars, accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade.
China has signed 24 free trade agreements or economic and trade arrangements with 31 countries and regions, including 15 APEC economies. In recent years, China has also completed upgrades of free trade agreements with APEC economies such as Singapore and Peru.
The minister said that China has always been a firm supporter and an important contributor to APEC.
"We have actively shared our vast market and development opportunities with all parties. China's door to the world will only open wider and wider. Facing the common challenges, China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities as a major country, further deepen reform, expand high-standard opening-up, and continue to provide new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific region and the world with its new achievements in Chinese modernization," the minister said.
China's Commerce Minister outlines priorities for 32nd APEC trade ministers' meeting
