CHINA OVERTAKES THE US AS GERMANY'S MOST IMPORTANT TRADE PARTNER

FRANKFURT, Feb 20 (Bernama-dpa) -- China has once again overtaken the United States (US) as Germany's most important trading partner, German Press Agency (dpa) reported. 

In 2025, the volume of imports and exports in trade with the People's Republic totalled €251.8 billion (US$296.6 billion), according to calculations by the Federal Statistical Office released on Friday.

With an increase of 2.1 per cent, China, which had already been Germany's most important trading partner from 2016 to 2023, once again overtook the US, which had been in first place in 2024.

German trade with the US was affected last year by the tariff dispute under President Donald Trump. Despite a decline of 5 per cent, the US remained Germany's second most important trading partner with foreign trade turnover of €240.5 billion.

Higher tariffs and Trump's aggressive trade policy did not change the fact that, as in the previous 10 years, the US remained the most important single market for goods "Made in Germany" in 2025. 

German companies sold goods worth €146.2 billion to the US, 9.4 per cent less than a year earlier. There were significant losses (-17.8 per cent) in cars and related parts. 

France ranked second among Germany's most important export destinations, followed by the Netherlands. China ranks only sixth in this list.

Chinese products have dominated imports to Germany since 2015. Last year, China was once again by far the most important supplier country for Germany, with imports worth €170.6 billion, up 8.8 per cent, ahead of the Netherlands and the US. 

-- BERNAMA-dpa