China's total trade with the European Union (EU) reached CNY3.35 trillion from January to July, marking a 3.9% year-on-year increase and accounting for 13% of the country's total foreign trade, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said. In the first seven months of 2025, China's trade with Germany reached CNY854.88 billion, up 4.3% year-on-year. Trade with the Netherlands stood at CNY455.58 billion, rising 1.5%, while trade with France totaled CNY334.53 billion, up 2.7% compared with the same period last year.
Zhang Jian, Vice President of the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations told the Global Times that recent customs data highlights the strong resilience and steady momentum of China-EU trade. “It shows the bilateral relationship remains on a positive track despite external headwinds,” he said. He noted that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's recent remarks reflect the EU's recognition of China's importance as a key trade partner. “The stability and predictability of China-EU trade will become even more vital for Europe going forward.” Looking ahead, Zhang said there remains ample room for growth. “Both sides should expand openness, improve trade facilitation, and create a stable, predictable environment for mutual investment,” he said.
However, Zhang also warned of challenges. “Protectionist sentiment in the EU remains strong and could disrupt normal trade if not kept in check,” he said. “Meanwhile, global trade rules are evolving, and both sides must work together to uphold openness and ensure a stable international trade order,” the Global Times reports.
The China Daily adds that China’s foreign trade will remain resilient in the second half of 2025, fueled by strong growth in high-tech exports, vibrant private sector activity and closer ties with emerging markets, government officials and exporters said. China’s foreign trade grew 3.5% year-on-year to CNY25.7 trillion in the first seven months of 2025, while its exports rose 7.3% year-on-year to CNY15.31 trillion. In July alone, the country’s trade value grew 6.7% to CNY3.91 trillion. China’s trade of high-tech products, including high-end machine tools and electric vehicles, reached CNY5.1 trillion from January to July, up 8.4% year-on-year, contributing 45.4% to the overall growth of foreign trade during this period. The foreign trade value of China’s private companies amounted to CNY14.68 trillion over the past seven months, up 7.4% year-on-year, accounting for 57.1% of the nation’s total foreign trade value, an increase of 2.1 percentage points compared with the same period last year.
