Germany-China trade hits record high in 2021: Destatis
BERLIN, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- China is expected to remain Germany's most important trading partner in 2021, for the sixth year in a row, as the turnover of trade between the countries reached a record high, the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis) said on Monday.
Exports and imports between China and Germany from January to November 2021 were up 14.7 percent year-on-year and climbed to 222.3 billion euros (248.4 billion U.S. dollars), already exceeding the previous year's level, according to Destatis.
"China's importance for German foreign trade has risen sharply in recent decades," Destatis noted, stressing that "China has been Germany's most important foreign trade partner since 2016."
Imports from China in the first 11 months of 2021 even increased 18.6 percent year-on-year, reaching 127.1 billion euros, according to Destatis. Data processing equipment, electrical and optical products, electrical equipment and machinery were the most important import categories.
At the same time, goods exported from Germany to China increased by 10 percent to 95.2 billion euros, according to Destatis. Main export products were motor vehicles and parts, machinery, data processing equipment as well as electrical and optical products. (1 euro = 1.12 U.S. dollars)