Destatis: United States remains the most important buyer of German goods in 2018; China still main trading partner

Destatis – US remains the most important buyer of German goods in 2018, China still main trading partner

(PRESS RELEASE) WIESBADEN, 18-Feb-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — The Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) has just released its preliminary results on Germany’s international trade for 2018. According to the data, China remains the biggest trading partner for Germany, already 3 years in a row.  Goods worth € 199.3 billion have been traded between Germany and China last year. That includes both exports and imports. The second most important trading partner for Germany is the Netherlands with 189.4 billion euros worth of trade. United States  comes on third place having traded goods worth of 178.0 billion euros with Germany in 2018.

When it comes to Germany’ exports, United States remains the most important importer of goods made in Germany. During 2018, Germany exported goods to the United States for 113.5 billion euros. France, the second largest importer of German goods, has purchased goods from Germany for 105.3 billion euros last year. China ranks third on the list of the biggest importers of German goods with 93.1 billion euros worth of imports.

At the same time, Germany’s import from China tops the list of the biggest exporters to Germany with 106.2 billion euros worth of goods made in China. The Netherlands is the second largest importer of goods into Germany having sold products and services for 98.2 billion euros last year. The third largest exporter to Germany is France having supplied goods worth of 65.2 billion euros in 2018. Pretty much the same amount is Germany’s import from the United States (65 billion euros). Italy is the next most important supplier of goods for Germany, with nearly 60 billion euros spent for goods made in Italy.

The greatest export surplus for Germany in 2018 appears to be with United States. 48.9 billion euros is the difference between Germany’s exports into the United States and the amount it paid for goods imported from US suppliers. United Kingdom ranks second in the list of countries Germany has export surpluses with –  45.0 billion euros in 2018. France is the third country having imported more goods from, than it exported to, Germany resulting in an import surplus of 40.2 billion euros.

Germany has an import surplus with China during 2018 with 13.0 billion euros spent more on its imports from there as compared with the amount it earned from its exports to the Asian country.

SOURCE: Destatis