The EU exported €199.6 billion worth of goods to China in 2025 and imported €559.4 billion, leaving a trade deficit of €359.8 billion.
Exports to China fell by 6.5% compared with 2024, while imports rose by 6.4%, Eurostat revealed on Friday.
Compared with 2015, exports were up 37.1% from €145.6 billion and imports rose 89.0% from €295.9 billion.
Machinery and mechanical appliances was the biggest EU export category to China in 2025, totalling €45.3 billion — 22.7% of all exports to China.
Electrical machinery and parts, including audio-visual equipment and accessories, followed at €29.0 billion (14.5%), and vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock at €16.4 billion (8.2%).
Electrical machinery led EU imports from China
Electrical machinery and parts, including audio-visual equipment and accessories, was also the EU’s largest import category from China, totalling €164.9 billion in 2025 — 29.5% of all imports, Eurostat said.
Machinery and mechanical appliances came next at €106.5 billion (19.0%).
Other leading import categories included organic chemicals (€34.1 billion; 6.1%), vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock (€29.9 billion; 5.4%), and furniture and lighting, bedding and mattresses and prefabricated buildings (€21.3 billion; 3.8%).
