What is the value of US trade with China?
Updates published annually
$461.4 billion in imports and $199.3 billion in exports in 2024. That means that the US imported $262.2 billion more from China than we exported to it. Benefits of trade can include higher wages and job growth, a wider variety of products available at lower prices, increased productivity, and more efficient resource allocation.
$461B
Value of imports from China to the US (2024)
$199B
Value of exports from the US to China (2024)
Exports are goods and services the US sells to other countries. Imports are goods and services the US buys from other countries. Combining the value of imports and exports shows us how much trade happens between the US and other countries.
The Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) provides data for 71 of the US' trading partners (though not necessarily the top 71 trading partners). The partners they track accounted for 94.3% of total trade with the US in 2024.
BEA data ranks China as the US’ 3rd top trading partner: In 2024, the US traded $660.7 billion in goods and services with China. Countries with similar trade values include Canada ($917.4B) and United Kingdom ($341.7B).
In 2024, the US traded $660.7 billion in goods and services with China.
Total trade value (imports + exports) with the US (2024), by select countries
Another way to look at international trade is through trade balance. A nation that imports more than it exports, has a trade deficit. One that exports more than it imports has a trade surplus. Neither is inherently good or bad; trade balance is just a metric that shows the relationship between imports and exports.
The US has had a trade deficit with China every year from 1999 through 2024. The 2024 deficit was $262.2 billion, an increase from 2023's deficit of $250.8 billion.
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The trade deficit with China increased to $262.2B in 2024.
Annual trade balance with China, not adjusted for inflation
In 2024, 95.3% of imports from China to the US were goods. The largest category was consumer goods (goods and services purchased by individuals for personal use, like clothing and cellphones), accounting for $214.3 billion. The top three imports were consumer goods, capital goods (tools used for the production process, like machinery and equipment), and industrial supplies and materials (items used up in the production process, like oil, chemicals, and plastic). These categories accounted for $401.8 billion of total imports.
The other 4.7% were services, with transport being the largest service category. Transport (transactions associated with moving people and property from one location to another, like passenger flights and ocean cargo shipping) accounted for $7.69 billion.
Consumer goods made up 46.4% of US imports from China in 2024.
US imports from China by category (2024)
In 2024, more US exports to China were goods — 72.4%. The largest export was capital goods, which accounted for a value of $49 billion. The top three exports were capital goods, industrial supplies and materials, and food, feeds, and beverages. These categories accounted for $120.5 billion of exports to China.
The other 27.6% were services, with travel being the largest service category. Travel (money entering the US from foreign visitors on expenses like lodging, meals, transportation, and entertainment) accounted for $24.3 billion.
Capital goods made up 24.6% of US exports to China in 2024.
US exports to China by category (2024)
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
