According to customs statistics, the total value of bilateral trade between China and Central and Eastern European countries (hereinafter referred to as CEECs) reached 812.27 billion yuan in the first three quarters of 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 7.7 percent (the same below). Notably, its exports to CEECs rose 12.8 percent to 659.43 billion yuan, while imports from the region fell 10 percent to 152.84 billion yuan.
Key features of bilateral trade between China and CEECs during this period are shown as below:
(I) China's exports were dominated by machinery and electronic products as well as labor-intensive goods.
From January to September 2025, China’s exports of machinery and electronic products to CEECs increased by 12.2 percent to 451.96 billion yuan, making up 68.5 percent of its total exports to the region in the same period (the same below). Notably, exports of electrical equipment surged 36.1 percent to 61.48 billion yuan, while those of automated data processing equipment and its parts and components declined 2.2 percent to 39.25 billion yuan. In addition, exports of labor-intensive products grew slightly by 0.4 percent to 98.9 billion yuan, representing 15 percent of the total during the same period. Among these, textiles and apparel increased by 2 percent to 47.34 billion yuan, and plastic products rose 6.3 percent to 16.22 billion yuan. Furthermore, exported agricultural products climbed 13.2 percent to 7.94 billion yuan, standing as 1.2 percent. Meanwhile, food exports climbed 24.1 percent to 4.45 billion yuan, making up 0.7 percent of total exports.
(II) Major imports include machinery and electronic products, metallic mineral ores, and copper materials.
From January to September 2025, China’s imports of machinery and electronic products from CEECs decreased by 11.4 percent to 106.28 billion yuan, making up 69.5 percent of the gross import value from CEECs in the same period (the same below). Within this category, imported auto parts dropped 13.9 percent to 25.67 billion yuan, and imported automobile fell 23.1 percent to 19.05 billion yuan. Meanwhile, imports of metal ores and ore sands reached 13.32 billion yuan, an increase of 4.8 percent, accounting for 8.7 percent of the total, while the unwrought copper and copper materials rose 1.2 percent to 6.66 billion yuan, taking up 4.4 percent of the total. In addition, the value of imported agricultural products dropped sharply by 40.2 percent to 1.95 billion yuan, making up 1.3 percent of total imports, and the value of imported food reached 1.41 billion yuan, a decrease of 14.8 percent, standing as 0.9 percent of the total imports.
(III) Poland, the Czech Republic, and Hungary emerged as China's top three trade partners.
From January to September 2025, China's export & import values with Poland reached 260.6 billion yuan, marking an 8.8 percent increase; with the Czech Republic amounted to 120.92 billion yuan, reflecting a 1.5 percent rise; and with Hungary stood at 108.15 billion yuan, after growing by 26 percent. Together, these three countries accounted for 32.1 percent, 14.9 percent, and 13.3 percent, respectively, of the nation's total import-export value with CEECs.
