Trade between the European Union and Poland with China in 2023-2024

The European Union and China are among the world’s most important trading partners, accounting for more than a third of global GDP and trade. Trade in goods between the two economies exceeds €800 billion per year. China is the largest supplier of goods to the EU and at the same time the third largest recipient of European exports.

The main sectors of exchange include the automotive industry and telecommunication technologies. In 2024, trade between the EU and China showed signs of weakening, which may be due to the changing economic and political situation.

Trade between the European Union and China in 2024

In 2024, the European Union exported goods to China worth a total of EUR 213.3 billion, while imports from China amounted to EUR 517.8 billion, which means  a trade deficit of EUR 304.5 billion.

China maintained its position as the EU’s largest trading partner in terms of imports, accounting for 21.3% of all EU imports. In terms of exports, China was the EU’s third largest partner (8.3% of total exports).

Compared to 2023, there was a decline in both exports and imports in 2024. The value of exports decreased by 4.5 per cent, and imports by 0.5 per cent. This trend indicates a weakening of trade dynamics between the EU and China, which may be the result of changing economic and political conditions.

The largest recipients of Chinese goods among EU countries in 2023 were:

• Germany, which imported goods worth USD 100.56 billion (this accounted for 2.98 percent of the total value of Chinese exports),
• The Netherlands, which imported goods worth USD 100.19 billion (this accounted for 2.96 percent of the total value of Chinese exports).

Structure of Chinese imports from the EU

In 2024, the main categories of goods imported from China to the European Union were:

• electrical machinery, equipment and electrical parts – with a total value of EUR 96.8 billion;
• telecommunications and audio equipment – EUR 60.9 billion;
• office and data processing machines, including personal computers and servers, €45.9 billion.

Together, these three categories accounted for 39.3% of China’s total imports to the EU, highlighting the important role of the technology sector in trade between the two regions.

These figures indicate that the European Union remains heavily dependent on Chinese supplies in the technology and electronics sector, which could have important implications for economic policy and strategic decisions in terms of production and internal investment.

Among the top 10 import sources for China, the  only  EU country  is Germany, which exported goods worth USD 106.2 billion to China in 2023. This accounted for 4.15 percent of the total value of German exports and contributed to a positive trade balance in this direction.

Poland-China trade exchange in 2024

Poland also maintains intensive trade relations with China. In 2024, the value of imports from China to Poland amounted to EUR 49.2 billion, while exports of Polish goods to China reached EUR 3.6 billion.

The most important categories of goods imported from China by Polish are:

• electronics and household appliances,
• industrial machinery and equipment,
• clothing and textiles.

On the other hand, Polish exports to China were mainly based on:

• food products, including milk and dairy products,
• raw materials such as copper and wood,
• automotive parts.

Despite the growth in trade, Poland is facing challenges related to a large trade deficit and limited diversification of exports to China. Increased competitiveness of Polish products on the Chinese market and strategic investments may help improve this situation in the coming years.

Sources:

• Eurostat
• Export IntelligenceCentral
• Statistical Office