Export economy: China Germany's most important trading partner in the first half of the year
German exports to the USA are noticeably declining - and Germany is now importing even more goods from China. "Made in Germany" may have to reinvent itself.
China maintained its position as Germany's top trading partner in the first half of the year, according to calculations by Germany Trade & Invest (GTAI) for Reuters. Despite a decline in exports of over twelve percent from January to June compared to the previous year, German exports to China amounted to just under 37 billion euros.
In contrast, German imports from China increased by nearly nine percent to nearly 92 billion euros, resulting in a total foreign trade volume of approximately 128 billion euros – about three billion more than China, Germany's second-largest trading partner. China replaced the United States as Germany's largest trading partner in 2025.
The decline in exports to China can be attributed to a weak domestic economy and a growing focus on domestic value chains, according to GTAI's Asia expert Corinne Abele. Additionally, German companies are investing more in the country to serve its market, making German supplies less sought after. However, China is not yet the leading importer of German products, as the country's real estate crisis has not been resolved, leading companies to refrain from investments due to existing overcapacity and falling prices in some sectors. "Many regional governments' coffers are also empty," Abele added.
Written by urgent.news from Handelsblatt's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
