Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China
China: Merchandise imports by the reporting economy was 2.46 trillion current US$ in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
2.46 trillion current US$
Change on year
down 5.2%
World rank
2nd
of 206 countries
All-time high
2.59 trillion current US$
in 2022
All-time low
657.90 million current US$
in 1961
Years of data
47
1961–2023
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China, 1961–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in current US$.
Analysis
China recorded 2.46 trillion current US$ for merchandise imports by the reporting economy in 2023.
The figure is down 5.2% on the previous year and up 38.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China peaked at 2.59 trillion current US$ in 2022 and was at its lowest, 657.90 million current US$, in 1961.
China ranks 2nd of 206 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 657.90 million current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 9.52 billion current US$ | +1346.8% |
| 1979 | 14.16 billion current US$ | +48.8% |
| 1980 | 18.17 billion current US$ | +28.3% |
| 1981 | 20.55 billion current US$ | +13.1% |
| 1982 | 17.73 billion current US$ | -13.7% |
| 1983 | 19.93 billion current US$ | +12.4% |
| 1984 | 24.18 billion current US$ | +21.3% |
| 1985 | 39.41 billion current US$ | +63.0% |
| 1986 | 39.76 billion current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1987 | 40.23 billion current US$ | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 50.49 billion current US$ | +25.5% |
| 1989 | 53.11 billion current US$ | +5.2% |
| 1990 | 50.38 billion current US$ | -5.1% |
| 1991 | 60.90 billion current US$ | +20.9% |
| 1992 | 79.50 billion current US$ | +30.5% |
| 1993 | 101.38 billion current US$ | +27.5% |
| 1994 | 112.83 billion current US$ | +11.3% |
| 1995 | 128.70 billion current US$ | +14.1% |
| 1996 | 135.47 billion current US$ | +5.3% |
| 1997 | 139.25 billion current US$ | +2.8% |
| 1998 | 137.36 billion current US$ | -1.4% |
| 1999 | 161.57 billion current US$ | +17.6% |
| 2000 | 217.55 billion current US$ | +34.6% |
| 2001 | 234.79 billion current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2002 | 280.31 billion current US$ | +19.4% |
| 2003 | 387.95 billion current US$ | +38.4% |
| 2004 | 521.95 billion current US$ | +34.5% |
| 2005 | 604.99 billion current US$ | +15.9% |
| 2006 | 718.36 billion current US$ | +18.7% |
| 2007 | 870.50 billion current US$ | +21.2% |
| 2008 | 1.04 trillion current US$ | +19.4% |
| 2009 | 917.44 billion current US$ | -11.7% |
| 2010 | 1.27 trillion current US$ | +38.2% |
| 2011 | 1.61 trillion current US$ | +26.6% |
| 2012 | 1.65 trillion current US$ | +3.1% |
| 2013 | 1.77 trillion current US$ | +7.0% |
| 2014 | 1.80 trillion current US$ | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 1.46 trillion current US$ | -18.9% |
| 2016 | 1.46 trillion current US$ | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 1.70 trillion current US$ | +16.4% |
| 2018 | 1.99 trillion current US$ | +16.9% |
| 2019 | 1.94 trillion current US$ | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 1.93 trillion current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 2.52 trillion current US$ | +30.3% |
| 2022 | 2.59 trillion current US$ | +2.8% |
| 2023 | 2.46 trillion current US$ | -5.2% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 2.46 trillion current US$ is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 15.63 billion current US$, 157.1× the median. (59 countries reporting)
- China's 2.46 trillion current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6.01 billion current US$, 408.9× the median. (36 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | +1346.8% | 657.90 million current US$ | 9.52 billion current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 657.90 million current US$ | 657.90 million current US$ | 657.90 million current US$ | 1 |
| 1970s | 11.84 billion current US$ | 9.52 billion current US$ | 14.16 billion current US$ | 2 |
| 1980s | 32.36 billion current US$ | 17.73 billion current US$ | 53.11 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 110.73 billion current US$ | 50.38 billion current US$ | 161.57 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 579.33 billion current US$ | 217.55 billion current US$ | 1.04 trillion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.66 trillion current US$ | 1.27 trillion current US$ | 1.99 trillion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.37 trillion current US$ | 1.93 trillion current US$ | 2.59 trillion current US$ | 4 |
Countries ranked near China
- 1 United States 3.08 trillion current US$ compare
- 3 Germany 1.47 trillion current US$ compare
- 4 Netherlands 838.01 billion current US$ compare
- 5 Japan 785.51 billion current US$ compare
More private sector data for China
- Merchandise trade 32.6% (2025)
- Food imports 8.1% (2024)
- Manufactures imports 49.3% (2024)
- Merchandise imports 2.58 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 2.4% (2024)
- Manufactures exports 91.2% (2024)
- Merchandise exports 3.77 trillion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 2,682 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.1934 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 5.48 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China?
- Merchandise imports by the reporting economy in China was 2.46 trillion current US$ in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 2.59 trillion current US$ in 2022.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports by the reporting economy recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 657.90 million current US$ in 1961.
- How does China rank for merchandise imports by the reporting economy?
- China ranks 2nd out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports by the reporting economy rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 38.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Merchandise imports by the reporting economy (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 47 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Merchandise imports by the reporting economy are the total merchandise imports by the reporting economy from the rest of the world, as reported in the IMF's Direction of trade database. Data are in current U.S. dollars.