China has overtaken the United States to become Germany’s most significant trading partner, marking a notable realignment in international commerce as global economic power dynamics continue to evolve. According to newly released figures from Germany’s Federal Statistical Office, total trade between Germany and China reached €251 billion in 2025, representing a 2.2 % increase from the previous year and surpassing the country’s trade volume with the United States, which stood at approximately €240 billion. The rise in trade with China reflects both an increase in German imports and persistent geopolitical and economic tensions affecting trade patterns with the United States.
The data shows that Germany imported goods worth about €170.6 billion from China last year, significantly outweighing the €81.3 billion in exports sent from Germany to China. Meanwhile, German trade with the United States slipped by around 5 %, with experts suggesting that tariff policies introduced by the U.S. government have weighed on bilateral economic activities.
The shift comes at a critical juncture for Germany’s leadership, with Chancellor Friedrich Merz preparing for his first official visit to China since taking office. Merz’s trip will include high-level meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang, as well as engagements with major corporate players including Mercedes-Benz and Siemens Energy. The Chancellor aims to deepen economic cooperation while also addressing broader strategic issues such as the war in Ukraine, human rights concerns and the broader context of European-Chinese relations. Accompanying Merz will be around 30 business leaders, including executives from BMW, underscoring the intertwined nature of German industry with the Chinese market.
The restoration of China’s position ahead of the United States as Germany’s largest trading partner reflects broader shifts in global supply chains and economic interdependence. Germany had previously lost the top spot to the U.S. in 2024, breaking an eight-year streak of China dominating as its primary trade partner. This change in ranking had been influenced by a mixture of slowed Chinese demand for German exports and strengthened economic ties with the United States at that time.
Trade experts point out that rising imports from China played a key role in tipping the balance. While German exports to both China and the United States have experienced contractions—partly due to tariff pressures and broader economic headwinds—imports from China have grown, bolstering China’s overall trade totals. Some analysts argue that this trend highlights Germany’s heavy reliance on Chinese manufactured goods and the growing integration of Chinese products into European markets.
Germany’s economic and political leadership faces the challenge of balancing deep commercial ties with China against strategic concerns about overreliance on a single market, especially in sectors critical to national and European interests. The European Union has pursued measures to lessen dependence on Chinese manufacturing—such as tariffs on electric vehicles and considerations for future levies on steel—but Germany, conscious of protecting its own industrial base, has often taken a more cautious approach. For instance, Berlin opposed certain EU-wide tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles and secured exemptions for specific China-built models, highlighting the complexity of aligning national priorities with broader European policy objectives.
As global economic competition intensifies, the evolving trade relationship between Germany, China and the United States is likely to remain a focal point of international economic discourse. Germany’s leadership appears determined to maintain robust commercial engagement with China while navigating the geopolitical pressures and policy controversies that accompany deepening economic interdependence in an increasingly multipolar world.
