China has overtaken the United States as Germany’s top trading partner.
Total trade between Germany and China reached €251bn in 2025, rising slightly from the previous year.
Germany imported €170.6bn in goods from China but exported only €81.3bn.
Trade with the US fell to €240bn, partly affected by tariffs.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit Beijing for talks with Xi Jinping and Li Qiang.
He plans to discuss trade, the war in Ukraine and human rights.
Germany’s car industry remains deeply tied to the Chinese market.
Companies such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen depend heavily on Chinese sales and production.
The EU is trying to reduce strategic dependence on China.
However, Berlin’s need to protect key industries has complicated support for tougher trade barriers.
