German trade deficit with China grows as Beijing relies less on European industry

Germany’s trade deficit with China widened in the first half of 2026, even as Beijing remained Germany’s biggest trade partner. Preliminary data from Germany Trade & Invest showed German exports to China fell more than 12% year-on-year to just under €37 billion from January to June. Over the same period, German imports from China rose 8.9% to €91.8 billion, enlarging the deficit to roughly €55 billion compared with about €40 billion in the first half of 2025.