What are the top 10 countries with the highest exports to China? Wanna hear a joke? Everything is made in China. I mean, everything. Except babies. They’re made in VaChina. I apologize – it was too funny to not pass on. China is easily one of the greatest economic powers in the world, battling for the top position with the United States, so we wanted to see which are the top 10 countries with the highest exports to China.
According to the World Economic Forum, China’s economy sits at $11 trillion, or nearly 15% of the world’s total. The country itself is the largest export economy in the world, with China’s top exports going to the United States (over 18% of the total value), but that doesn’t mean it needs for nothing from the rest of the countries. There’s no self-sufficient nation on the planet.
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In total, in 2016, China imported products of $1.6 trillion, a good part of it coming from its main partners, the USA and Europe, although other nations also make the list. So, what we were interested in was a list of China’s imports by country and we found this information by looking for China’s imports and exports data, so we could get a better picture. What does China import most, or what are China’s export products? In an interesting turn of events, China’s top import and export categories are the same – sound system, recording devices, and television sets.
India, for instance, a country that’s nearly as populous as China is, doesn’t export nearly as many products, or for such money, nor does it import so much. India’s exports by country, for instance, lists the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong and China, as the nations buying most of their products.
You can also read up on the Easiest Countries To Export To or the Countries that Export the Most Fruit in the World.
In order to create our list of top 10 countries with the highest exports to China, we looked for China’s imports and export data from its 2016 National Economic and Social Development statistical report, as well as TradeMap, which makes it easier to visualize the data, particularly China’s imports by country, thus revealing China’s trading partners in 2016. Once we had all the numbers down we arranged them by the value of the products they exported into China, avoiding to include the so-called “Area Nes” which is simply a group of all countries that did not merit a mention among the first few dozen nations that trade with China.
That being said, here are the top 10 countries with the highest exports to China.
10. Thailand
Value: $38 billion
First off on our list is Thailand, a country whose exports to China reached $38.5 billion.
So what does China import from Thailand? Well, the product with the largest value it imports is rubber, as well as other articles made of rubber. The list continues with electrical machinery and equipment, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors, plastics, optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical or surgical equipment, wood, organic chemicals, vegetables, and more. Fruits, cereal, precious stones, metals and pearls, fish and other aquatic animals, are also on the list.
Its trade business with China represents 2.4% of China’s total imports, and the value of the imported goods grew 4% between 2015 and 2016.
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9. Switzerland
Value: 39 billion
Next up on the list is Switzerland, a country whose exports to China reach a total value of $39.9 billion, or 2.5% of the China’s total imports. While the value may be impressive, it’s actually 3% less than the value they reached a year prior, in 2015.
Wondering what China’s buying from Switzerland? Data shows that China spends the most money on pearls, precious stones and metals, and jewelry. Considering Switzerland’s name is often associated with luxury, it’s not necessarily surprising. Then, it imports meds, mechanical appliances, clocks and watches (again, not surprising), optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical or surgical instruments and apparatus, electrical machinery and more.
Essential oils and perfumes, ceramic, and vehicles are also on the list.
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8. Brazil
Value: $45 billion
Next on our list of top 10 countries with the highest exports to China is Brazil, a country that exports products worth $45.8 billion into China, or 3.1% of China’s total imports. The value imported in 2016 is actually 4% higher than the 2015 number, so the relationship seems to be growing closer.
Brazil’s exports to China oil seeds and oleaginous fruits, ores, mineral fuels, and oils, pulp of wood or other fibrous cellulosic material, meat, sugars, iron and steel, tobacco, aircraft, spacecraft and other parts.
Cotton, salt, wood, paper, copper, animal or vegetable fats and oils are also on the list.
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7. Malaysia
Value: $49 billion
Malaysia exports products worth $49.2 billion to China, making up 3.1% of China’s total imports. While the number is already impressive, it’s actually 8% less than it was in 2015.
The most expensive thing China buys from Malaysia is electrical machinery and equipment, sound recorders and reproducers, TV image and sound recorders and related products, valuing at over $8.7 billion. They also export mineral fuels and oils, machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors and boilers, animal or vegetable fats, ores, rubber, plastics, organic chemicals and so on. Wood, copper, nickel, aluminum, and glass are also on the list, right next to cocoa, cereals, and furniture.
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6. Australia
Value: $70 billion
On the sixth spot comes Australia, with its export to China coming up to $70.8 billion, or 4.5% of China’s imports. The number is 4% less than it was in 2015, data shows.
The largest part of the number comes from buying ores, slag and ash, nearly half the sum. Then, China also imports mineral fuels and oils, commodities, pearls, precious stones and metals, wool, copper, wood, meat, medicines, cereals, beverages, cotton, dairy, eggs, honey, and more. The list further includes fruits, salt, aluminum, oil seeds and nuts, as well as various types of machinery.
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5. Germany
Value: $86 billion
China’s largest trade partner from the European Union is Germany, which sends products worth $86.1 billion into China, making up 5.4% of the country’s imports. Still, the number is slightly lower than what we saw in 2015, more specifically by 2%.
So what does Germany, 5th among the top 10 countries with the highest exports to China, export to China? Well, it seems the largest part of the deal is made by cars, parts, and accessories, indicating the Chinese love quality cars from Germany’s many brands.
China also buys machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors and parts, as well as electrical machinery and equipment, sound recorders and reproducers, as well as TVs. Optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical and surgical instruments are also on the list, right next to aircraft, spacecraft or parts for them.
Pharmaceutical products, plastics, articles made of iron or steel, organic chemicals, meat, rubber, iron, steel, aluminum, copper, glass, and various tools also made the list.
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4. USA
Value: $135 billion
The country China exports most to, the United States of America, only makes the fourth place on the list of nations that China mostly imports from. With $135.1 billion in value, it’s still a massive jump from the previous spot. It also represents 8.5% of China’s total imports, although it should be mentioned that the number is 8% lower than in 2015.
The US exports all kinds of stuff to China, leading with oil seeds and nuts, and aircraft, spacecraft, and parts, having similar values. Furthermore, the US also sells electrical machinery and equipment, sound records and reproducers and TVs, mechanical appliances, cars, optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical or surgical instruments and plastics.
The list continues with pulp of wood, mineral fuels and oils, organic chemicals, wood, pharmaceutical products, copper, aluminum, ores, slag and ash, iron, paper, cereals, fish, and so on.
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3. Chinese Taipei (Taiwan)
Value: $138 billion
Next on our list of top 10 countries with the highest exports to China, is Chinese Taipei, which exports products worth $138.8 billion into China, or 8.7% of China’s imports. The sum has actually gone down a bit from the previous year, but only by 3%.
The largest share of the exports into China are electrical machinery and equipment, sound recorders and reproducers, TVs and similar products. The list continues with optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical or surgical instruments, plastics, copper, iron and steel, glass, ores, slag, and ash, organic chemicals, aluminum, cars, ships, boats and so on. Textiles, paper, rubber, and knitted or crocheted fabrics also make the list.
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2. Japan
Value: $145 billion
On the second spot we find Japan, a country that exports products worth $145.6 billion into China, making up 9.2% of the China’s total imports. The number is slightly higher than what we saw in 2015, but not by much since the difference is just 2%. When the value is this high, however, even 2% is a lot.
So what does Japan sell to China? Well, electrical machinery and equipment, sound recorders and reproducers, TVs, as well as machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors and boilers, are the two categories that have a similar value. Then, we have cars, optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical or surgical instruments, as well as plastics, iron, steel, copper, articles of iron or steel, rubber, glass, mineral fuels and oils, soaps, tools, essential oils, photographic or cinematographic goods, and more.
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1. Republic of Korea
Value: $158 billion
Finally, at the top of our list of top 10 countries with the highest exports to China, we find the Republic of Korea, also known as South Korea. China’s largest exporter ran a bill of $158.9 billion in 2016, or 10% of China’s total imports. Compared to 2015, however, the number is 9% lower.
The largest part of this sum, nearly a third, comes from exporting electrical machinery and equipment, sound recorders and reproducers, TVs and similar articles. Then, South Korea further sells optical, photographic, cinematographic, medical or surgical instruments, as well as machinery, mechanical appliances, nuclear reactors, and boilers. The list further includes organic chemicals, plastics, mineral fuels and oils, cars, iron, steel, essential oils, copper, articles or iron or steel, rubber, aluminum, glass, furniture, including bedding, mattresses, and so on.
That being said, it’s clear that China likes buying a lot of products from all over the world. Still, it continues to export even more products to all corners of the globe, particularly the United States. China is one of the world’s largest economies and it will continue to remain so over the years to come. Its position as the world’s largest exporter doesn’t seem to be threatened in any way, and as the economy continues to boom so should the value of its imports.
These have been the top 10 countries with the highest exports to China.
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