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The Briefing
- In a pandemic year, the U.S. has lost out as the EU’s top trading partner
- The EU trade relationship with China has grown towards €586B ($709B) in 2020, compared to €554B ($671B) with the U.S.
How China Became the Largest EU Trade Partner
Historically, America has long been the EU’s top country to trade with, but in 2020, that trend came to a screeching halt.
A $26.7 billion boost for Chinese imports, in addition to a $5.3 billion increase in EU exports, has resulted in China officially becoming the EU’s largest trade partner.
This data looks at a decade of growing trade between the EU and China.
| Year | Imports from China ($B) | Exports to China ($B) | Total Trade Value ($B) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 463.9 | 245.1 | 709.1 |
| 2019 | 437.1 | 239.9 | 677.2 |
| 2018 | 477.5 | 253.9 | 731.6 |
| 2017 | 454.2 | 239.0 | 693.3 |
| 2016 | 426.2 | 205.3 | 631.6 |
| 2015 | 424.2 | 206.0 | 630.3 |
| 2014 | 366.0 | 199.2 | 565.3 |
| 2013 | 338.8 | 179.3 | 518.1 |
| 2012 | 352.8 | 174.2 | 527.1 |
| 2011 | 356.7 | 165.0 | 521.8 |
| 2010 | 343.1 | 137.2 | 480.4 |
Playing Catch Up
Displacing the U.S. as a trade partner (Read more...)