China remains Germany's top trading partner

China has reasserted its position as Germany's most significant trading partner in the first half of 2026. Trade volume with the People's Republic reached 125.5 billion euros between January and June, according to the Federal Statistical Office. This places China ahead of the United States, which recorded 123.7 billion euros, and the Netherlands with 109.3 billion euros.

China had previously held this top spot from 2016 to 2023 before being briefly overtaken by the U.S. in 2024. However, China regained its leading position last year. Despite trade policies enacted by U.S. President Donald Trump that have slowed business for German companies, the U.S. remains a crucial market for German exports. In the first half of 2026, the United States was the primary destination for German goods, with exports valued at 73.1 billion euros. This figure, however, represents a 6.1 percent decrease compared to the same period the previous year. Notably, exports of automobiles and automotive parts saw a significant decline of 17.2 percent.

France and the Netherlands follow as the second and third most important export destinations for Germany, with 63.2 billion euros and 60.5 billion euros respectively. China, in contrast, ranks only ninth in this export list, with goods worth 36.4 billion euros. The dominance of Chinese products in German imports has been a long-standing trend. In the first half of 2026, China was by far Germany's most important supplier, with an import volume of 89.1 billion euros, followed by the U.S. (50.6 billion euros) and the Netherlands (48.9 billion euros).