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The United States officially overtook China as Germany’s most important trading partner in the first quarter of this year. 

Germany’s trade with the United States, including both exports and imports, reached a total of 63 billion euros ($68 billion) from January to March. In comparison, trade figures with China were slightly lower, at just under 60 billion euros, according to data from the German statistics office.

In 2023, China maintained its position as Germany’s primary trading partner for the eighth consecutive year, with trade volumes totaling 253 billion euros. However, this lead was marginal, with the US closely trailing by only a few hundred million euros.   

This shift comes as Germany has been attempting to lessen its dependency on China amid political strains, its growing relations with Russia, and accusations of “unfair [trade] practices” from Beijing. 

The decline in trade with China is also reflected in the statistics for the first quarter: German imports from China dropped nearly 12% year-on-year. In comparison, exports decreased by just over 1%.