China overtakes US as Germany's top trading partner

"Germany's Federal Statistical Office released figures on Friday showing that China is back on top as the country's most important market with 251bn (219bn) in trade in 2025, up 2.2% on 2024 when the US was the country's leading export destination. Germany imported about 170.6bn-worth of goods from China in 2025, more than double the value of exports from Germany to China, which stood at 81.3bn."

"Merz will head to China on Tuesday and will be welcomed with military honours on Wednesday in Beijing by the prime minister, Li Qiang, before later meeting the president, Xi Jinping, for talks over dinner, his spokesperson, Sebastian Hille, said. Hill said that during the two-day trip to China Merz would also visit the Forbidden City, the Chinese firm Unitree Robotics, the German car company Mercedes-Benz and turbine maker Siemens Energy."

"The EU is struggling to limit China's over-heating manufacturing with tariffs on EVs imported to the EU introduced in 2024 having little impact on sales and tariffs threatened on steel later this year through steel safeguards. Germany's relationship with China on trade is complex, with car companies having a significant manufacturing presence in the country. Volkswagen has referred it to as a second home market and BMW and Mercedes Benz are also heavily reliant on sales in the country for their economic success."

China overtook the US as Germany's top trading partner in 2025 with 251bn (219bn) in trade, a 2.2% increase from 2024. Germany imported about 170.6bn-worth of goods from China while exports to China stood at 81.3bn. Trade with the US totaled 240bn, and a 5% drop was partly linked to Donald Trump's tariffs. Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit China, meet Li Qiang and Xi Jinping, and be accompanied by around 30 business representatives including BMW chief Oliver Zipse. Planned stops include the Forbidden City, Unitree Robotics, Mercedes-Benz, Siemens Energy and Hangzhou. Key topics include Ukraine, human rights and trade, while EU EV tariffs since 2024 have had limited impact and steel safeguards may follow.

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