Press release No. 056 of 20 February 2026
- China takes over from the United States to rank first among Germany's top trading partners, as it did from 2016 to 2023
- Exports of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers to the United States drop 17.8%, but the US remains most important recipient country of German exports
- At 200.5 billion euros, Germany's export surplus in 2025 is 42.4 billion euros lower than in the previous year
WIESBADEN – With a foreign trade turnover (total of goods exports and imports) of 251.8 billion euros, the People's Republic of China was Germany’s most important trading partner again in 2025, a title it also held in the period from 2016 to 2023. The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) also reports that China therefore took over the top position from the United States, which was Germany's most important trading partner in 2024. In 2025, the US was once again Germany's second most important trading partner, with a foreign trade turnover of 240.5 billion euros. While trade in goods with China grew by 2.1% on the previous year, trade with the United States declined by 5.0%. This was primarily due to the continuing increase in imports from China, coupled with falling exports to the United States. The Netherlands was Germany's third most important trading partner after China and the United States, with exports and imports having a total value of 209.1 billion euros (+3.3%).
More information:
All detailed results on German foreign trade are available in the GENESIS-Online database (tables 51000). Selected tables are also provided on the “Foreign trade“ page on the website of the Federal Statistical Office.
