Germany's exports to China plunge 25% since 2019 as Berlin weighs trade barriers and diversification

Germany's exports to China have fallen by a quarter since 2019, while imports from China have continued to climb, driving the 2025 trade deficit toward €88 billion. In response, Chancellor Friedrich Merz and other officials are backing measures such as shielding domestic steelmakers, tightening bans on Chinese components in networks and promoting "buy-European" rules, as industry groups call for diversification and new trade defenses.