According to customs statistics, the total value of bilateral trade between China and Central and Eastern European countries (hereinafter referred to as CEECs) reached 719.41 billion yuan from January to August 2025, up 7.2 percent compared to the same period last year (the same below). Notably, its exports to CEECs rose 12.5 percent to 584.68 billion yuan, while imports from the region fell 11 percent to 134.73 billion yuan.
Key features of bilateral trade between China and CEECs during the January-August period in 2025 are shown as below:
(I) China's exports were dominated by machinery and electronic products as well as labor-intensive goods.
From January to August 2025, China's exports of machinery and electronic products to CEECs increased by 11.9 percent to 398.4 billion yuan, making up 68.1 percent of its total exports to the region in the same period (the same below). Notably, exports of electrical equipment surged 39 percent to 54.26 billion yuan, while those of automated data processing equipment and its parts and components declined 3.9 percent to 34.12 billion yuan. In addition, exports of labor-intensive products grew slightly by 0.6 percent to 90.05 billion yuan, representing 15.4 percent of the total during the same period. Among these, textiles and apparel increased by 2.5 percent to 43.25 billion yuan, and plastic products rose 5.3 percent to 14.43 billion yuan. Furthermore, exported agricultural products climbed 13.3 percent to 7 billion yuan, standing as 1.2 percent, and food exports grew 24.2 percent, reaching 3.92 billion yuan.
(II) Major imports include machinery and electronic products, metallic mineral ores, and copper materials.
From January to August 2025, China's imports of machinery and electronic products from CEECs decreased by 12.1 percent to 93.84 billion yuan, making up 69.7 percent of the gross import value from CEECs in the same period (the same below). Within this category, imported auto parts dropped 13.5 percent to 22.63 billion yuan, and imported automobile fell 22.8 percent to 17.46 billion yuan. Meanwhile, imports of metal ores and ore sands reached 11.54 billion yuan, an increase of 1.7 percent, accounting for 8.6 percent, while the imported unwrought copper and copper materials dipped 3.4 percent to 5.93 billion yuan, taking up 4.4 percent. In addition, the value of imported agricultural products dropped sharply by 40.9 percent to 1.7 billion yuan, making up 1.3 percent of total imports, and the value of imported food reached 1.22 billion yuan, a decrease of 19.2%.
(III) Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary emerged as China's top three food trade partners.
From January to August 2025, China's export & import values with Poland reached 229.06 billion yuan, a 7.6 percent increase; export & import values with the Czech Republic amounted to 105.96 billion yuan, up 1.4 percent; and export & import values with Hungary expanded significantly by 24.7 percent to 94.54 billion yuan. Together, these three countries accounted for 31.8 percent, 14.7 percent, and 13.1 percent, respectively, of the nation's total import-export value with CEECs.
