External balance on goods and services in China
China: External balance on goods and services was 5.87 trillion current LCU in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in China, 1960–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in China stood at 5.87 trillion current LCU. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 48.6% on the previous year and up 162.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in China peaked at 5.87 trillion current LCU in 2025 and was at its lowest, -94.59 billion current LCU, in 1993.
That places China 9th out of 192 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 710.30 million current LCU | -18.54 million current LCU | 1.19 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | -419.37 million current LCU | -3.62 billion current LCU | 1.40 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | -8.60 billion current LCU | -36.75 billion current LCU | 12.61 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 134.04 billion current LCU | -94.59 billion current LCU | 362.92 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.05 trillion current LCU | 232.47 billion current LCU | 2.42 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.38 trillion current LCU | 605.28 billion current LCU | 2.23 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.50 trillion current LCU | 2.28 trillion current LCU | 5.87 trillion current LCU | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
More economy & growth data for China
- DEC alternative conversion factor 7.19 LCU per US$ (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 157.71 billion current LCU (2025)
- Net secondary income (Net current transfers from abroad) 21.94 billion current US$ (2025)
- Net primary income (Net income from abroad) -817.92 billion current LCU (2025)
- Net primary income (Net income from abroad) -113.76 billion current US$ (2025)
- GNI per capita 99,084 current LCU (2025)
- GNI per capita, Atlas method 14,230 current US$ (2025)
- GNI 139.37 trillion current LCU (2025)
- GNI 19.38 trillion current US$ (2025)
- GNI, Atlas method 20.02 trillion current US$ (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in China?
- External balance on goods and services in China was 5.87 trillion current LCU in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 5.87 trillion current LCU in 2025.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -94.59 billion current LCU in 1993.
- How does China rank for external balance on goods and services?
- China ranks 9th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 162.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.