Germany's trade deficit with China widens as auto exports plunge

Germany’s imports from China rose to €72.4 billion in the January‑May 2026 period, a 6.2 % increase over the same span a year earlier. The surge, driven mainly by data‑processing devices, electrical and optical products, lifted the German‑Chinese trade surplus to €42.8 billion, up from €33.5 billion in 2025.

Exports to China fell sharply, declining 14.5 % to €29.6 billion. Auto exports were hit hardest, dropping 26.1 % to €4.7 billion and sinking German cars from the top export category to third place behind machinery and electronic equipment. The weakness reflects a broader loss of market share for German automakers in China.

Key imported goods included portable computers (81.8 % of German imports), smartphones (66.3 %), lithium‑ion batteries (64.1 %) and electric passenger cars (23.5 %). German exports remained led by machinery and electronic devices, while the automotive sector’s contraction deepened the overall trade imbalance with China.