China has overtaken the United States as Germany’s top trading partner after total trade reached €251bn in 2025.
The figure rose slightly from the previous year, while trade with the US fell to €240bn.
Germany imported far more from China than it exported.
Imports were worth about €170.6bn, compared with €81.3bn in German exports.
Tariffs introduced by Donald Trump are seen as one factor behind the drop in US trade.
Friedrich Merz will visit Beijing this week for talks with Xi Jinping and Li Qiang.
Discussions are expected to cover Ukraine, human rights and economic relations.
Germany’s car industry remains deeply tied to the Chinese market.
Companies such as Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz rely heavily on Chinese production and sales.
The EU is trying to reduce dependence on China for key materials and industrial goods.
Berlin’s need to protect its automotive sector has made its trade policy more cautious.
