The General Administration of Customs of China reported that trade between China and the United States fell by 18.7% year-over-year in 2025, reaching $559.74 billion. Shipments of Chinese goods to the US market declined by 20% to $420.05 billion, while imports from the US into China decreased by 14.6% to $139.69 billion. However, trade picked up in December, rising by nearly 3% to $45.1 billion, signaling some recovery in momentum at year‑end.
The composition of bilateral trade reflects complementary economies. China buys soybeans, cotton, corn, semiconductors, sport-utility vehicles, coking coal, copper, and copper ore from the US. In turn, the United States imports smartphones, computers, lithium-ion batteries, toys, plastic goods, CCTV cameras, household appliances, clothing, and footwear from China. From January through November 2025, bilateral trade dropped to $514.66 billion, marking a further decline of 2.7% in November alone.
The trade slump mirrors tensions in bilateral relations amid tariff battles and trade restrictions. The decline in Chinese exports has been greater than that of US shipments, indicating an asymmetric impact of trade barriers on the two economies. Experts warn that a sustained pullback in trade could weigh on employment and consumer prices in both countries.
