The key facts

  • In 2000, the EU led trade among the trio in 112 of 175 economies, the US in 53, and China in 10; by 2025, China became first in 92 countries, the EU in 55, and the US in 32.
  • Of the 88 economies with a change of leader, China became first in 81: it overtook the EU in 57 cases and the US in 24.
  • China's goods trade grew from $470 billion (2000) to $6.4 trillion (2025) — almost 14-fold, while EU trade grew 3.4-fold and US trade 2.9-fold.

China Has Become the Leading Trade Partner for Most Countries

An infographic by Visual Capitalist, prepared based on data from the International Monetary Fund and the UN Comtrade database, compares countries' trade with China, the US, and the European Union in 2000 and 2025. The calculations took into account goods exports and imports; trade in services was not considered. The comparison was made only among the three participants: China's leadership means that a given country trades more with it than with the US or the EU individually, but not necessarily that China is the main partner among all of the country's trade partners.

How the Picture Changed Over 25 Years

In 2000, among the 175 analyzed economies, the European Union was the leader of the trio in 112 cases, the US in 53, and China in 10. According to 2025 data, China took first place in trade with 92 countries and territories, the EU with 55, and the US with 32. For the 88 economies for which data exists for both years, the leading partner of the trio changed; in 81 of them, first place went to China: in 57 cases it overtook the EU, and in 24 the US.

The Biggest Shifts — in Asia and the Middle East

The most noticeable changes occurred in Asia. Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaysia traded more with the US in 2000, but China later moved ahead. In Australia and New Zealand, China replaced the European Union. A similar shift occurred in the Persian Gulf countries: against the backdrop of growing demand for oil in Asia, China's role in the trade of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, and Kuwait increased. In Russia, after the introduction of Western sanctions in 2022, the pivot of trade to the east accelerated.

The US and EU Retain Positions in Neighboring Regions

The US and the European Union have retained strong positions in regions close to them. The US remains the leading partner for Canada, Mexico, most countries of Central America and the Caribbean. The EU predominates in many European countries that are not members of the union, as well as in a number of states in North and West Africa.

China's Trade Turnover Grew Almost 14-Fold

China's external goods trade grew from $470 billion in 2000 to $6.4 trillion in 2025 — approximately 14-fold. Over the same period, the EU's trade turnover increased 3.4-fold, and the US's 2.9-fold.