China remains Germany's top trading partner

China maintained its position as Germany's most important trading partner in the first half of 2026, with the volume of imports and exports with the People's Republic totalling €125.5 billion ($146.7 billion) from January to June, the Federal Statistical Office reported on Thursday.

China beat the United States, with €123.7 billion and the Netherlands with €109.3 billion, the data office said.

China had been Germany's most important trading partner from 2016 to 2023 and was displaced from first place by the US in 2024. Last year, China regained the top spot.

US still most important sales market despite higher tariffs

But Germany's exporters cannot avoid the US market, even though the tariff policy of President Donald Trump is slowing business for German companies. 

As in previous years, the US was Germany's most important destination for exports in the first half of 2026. Goods made in Germany worth a total of €73.1 billion were delivered from Germany to the US. However, that was 6.1% less than in the same period a year earlier. There were again clear declines, especially in motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts (-17.2%).

France remains in second place among Germany's most important export destinations (€63.2 billion), followed by the Netherlands (€60.5 billion). China (€36.4 billion) is only ninth in this ranking.

Chinese products dominate imports into Germany

By contrast, Chinese products have dominated imports into Germany for years. With an import volume of €89.1 billion, China was again by far the most important supplier country for Germany in the first half of the current year, ahead of the US (€50.6 billion) and the Netherlands (€48.9 billion).

Overall, on a nominal basis, goods produced in Germany worth €817.8 billion were shipped worldwide in the first half of 2026, almost 4% more than a year earlier, primarily cars, machinery, optics and chemical products. The Wiesbaden-based statisticians had already reported this magnitude on a seasonally adjusted basis at the beginning of August.