An Overview of Bilateral Trade between China and Central and Eastern European Countries from January to May 2025

(The Chinese version shall prevail.)

 

Customs statistics show that the total value of trade between China and Central and Eastern European countries (hereinafter referred to as CEE) was RMB 425.64 billion from January to May 2025, an increase of 6.5% compared to the same period last year (the same below). Among them, the value of exports to CEE was RMB 346.73 billion, an increase of 11.2%, and that of imports from CEE was RMB 78.91 billion, a decrease of 10.4%.

 

The main features of bilateral trade between China and CEE from January to May 2025 are as follows:

 

(I) M&E products and labor-intensive products were the main exported products.

 

China exported RMB 238.01 billion of M&E products to CEE from January to May 2025, with an increase of 10.6%, accounting for 68.6% of the gross value of China's exports to CEE in the same period (the same below). Among them, the value of electrical equipment & material reached RMB 30.5 billion, an increase of 35.9%; the value of automatic data processing machines and units and their parts and components reached RMB 20.07 billion, a decrease of 8%. Over the same period, the export of labor-intensive products amounted to RMB 52.78 billion, an increase of 1.1%, accounting for 15.2%. Among them, the value of textiles and garments was RMB 24.31 billion, an increase of 5.7%, and that of plastic products was RMB 8.72 billion, an increase of 1.1%. In addition, the value of exported agricultural products reached RMB 4.36 billion, an increase of 15.7%, accounting for 1.3%; the value of exported foods reached RMB 2.44 billion, an increase of 23.4%.

 

(II) The primary imports consist of M&E products, metallic mineral ores, and copper materials.

 

China imported RMB 54.85 billion of M&E products from CEE from January to May 2025, a decrease of 10.5%, accounting for 69.5% of the gross import value from CEE in the same period (the same below). Among them, the value of auto parts reached RMB 12.67 billion, a decrease of 16.5%; that of automobiles reached RMB 11.1 billion, a decrease of 1.9%. In the same period, the value of imported metal ore and ore sand reached RMB 6.36 billion, a decrease of 0.7%, accounting for 8.1% of the gross value of imports from CEE to China. The value of imported unwrought copper and copper material reached RMB 3.68 billion, a decrease of 5.7%, accounting for 4.7% of the gross value of imports from CEE to China. In addition, the value of imported agricultural products was RMB 1.08 billion, a decrease of 41.7%, accounting for 1.4% of the total value of imports, and that of imported food was RMB 760 million, a decrease of 19.1%.

 

(III) Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary were the top three trading partners.

 

China's import and export value with Poland, the Czech Republic and Hungary reached RMB 135.26 billion, RMB 63.01 billion and RMB 54.51 billion respectively from January to May 2025, with an increase of 7.3%, a decrease of 2.1% and an increase of 22.3% respectively, accounting for 31.8%, 14.8% and 12.8% of China's total import and export value with CEE in the same month.