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Visualizing the Rise of China in Global Trade (2000–2024)
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The imposition of tariffs by the Trump administration has sparked global discussions about a potential reshaping of the world economy, with countries considering diversifying trade ties beyond the United States.
The measures announced by the White House target several countries, with China being one of the main ones. President Trump pledged to increase tariffs on China by an additional 50% if the country did not withdraw its 34% retaliatory tariffs, which were introduced in response to U.S. tariffs.
In this visualization, creator Ehsan Soltani explores the shift in global trade dominance between the United States and China over the past two decades. The data is sourced from the United States Census Bureau and the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China.
China’s Trade Surge Over Time
In 2000, U.S. trade totaled $2 trillion—more than four times China’s $474 billion. At the time, China was the primary trade partner for only a handful of countries, including Cuba, Iran, Libya, Myanmar, Mongolia, North Korea, Oman, Sudan, Tanzania, and Vietnam.
From 2000 to 2024, U.S. trade grew by 167% (a 4.2% compound annual growth rate), while China’s trade surged by 1,200% (an 11.3% CAGR), overtaking the U.S. in 2012. By 2024, total trade reached $5.3 trillion for the U.S. and $6.2 trillion for China.
| Partner (Billion US$) | U.S. 2000 | China 2000 | Partner (Billion US$) | U.S. 2024 | China 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | 9 | 25 | Afghanistan | 34 | 1,586 |
| Albania | 29 | 14 | Albania | 270 | 1,342 |
| Algeria | 3,586 | 199 | Algeria | 3,476 | 12,487 |
| Andorra | 11 | 0 | Andorra | 8 | 11 |
| Angola | 3,781 | 1,876 | Angola | 2,552 | 20,890 |
| Anguilla | 31 | Anguilla | 74 | 7 | |
| Antigua and Barbuda | 140 | 1 | Antigua and Barbuda | 598 | 120 |
| Argentina | 7,795 | 1,540 | Argentina | 16,263 | 16,347 |
| Armenia | 79 | 5 | Armenia | 282 | 1,802 |
| Aruba | 1,827 | Aruba | 736 | 87 | |
| Australia | 18,920 | 8,453 | Australia | 51,279 | 211,899 |
| Austria | 5,818 | 781 | Austria | 22,046 | 12,243 |
| Azerbaijan | 231 | 6 | Azerbaijan | 413 | 2,467 |
| Bahamas | 1,344 | 8 | Bahamas | 7,432 | 1,273 |
| Bahrain | 787 | 121 | Bahrain | 2,851 | 1,474 |
| Bangladesh | 2,657 | 918 | Bangladesh | 10,580 | 24,078 |
| Barbados | 346 | 3 | Barbados | 821 | 197 |
| Belarus | 135 | 114 | Belarus | 31 | 8,401 |
| Belgium | 23,855 | 3,687 | Belgium | 62,028 | 39,091 |
| Belize | 302 | 4 | Belize | 672 | 213 |
| Benin | 29 | 372 | Benin | 265 | 1,107 |
| Bermuda | 468 | Bermuda | 564 | 345 | |
| Bhutan | 2 | Bhutan | 7 | 69 | |
| Bolivia | 438 | 17 | Bolivia | 905 | 2,721 |
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | 62 | 4 | Bosnia and Herzegovina | 232 | 417 |
| Botswana | 73 | 11 | Botswana | 509 | 1,012 |
| Brazil | 29,173 | 2,845 | Brazil | 91,983 | 188,395 |
| British Indian Ocean Terr. | 4 | British Indian Ocean Territory | 6 | 1 | |
| British Virgin Islands | 94 | 1 | British Virgin Islands | 373 | 218 |
| Brunei | 540 | 74 | Brunei Darussalam | 366 | 2,814 |
| Bulgaria | 350 | 94 | Bulgaria | 1,980 | 4,040 |
| Burkina Faso | 18 | Burkina Faso | 59 | 742 | |
| Burma | 488 | 621 | Myanmar | 734 | 16,286 |
| Burundi | 10 | 5 | Burundi | 10 | 113 |
| Cabo Verde | 11 | Cabo Verde | 17 | 114 | |
| Cambodia | 857 | 224 | Cambodia | 12,983 | 17,818 |
| Cameroon | 215 | 161 | Cameroon | 442 | 4,722 |
| Canada | 409,779 | 6,909 | Canada | 762,056 | 93,036 |
| Cayman Islands | 361 | Cayman Islands | 1,336 | 77 | |
| Central African Republic | 5 | 1 | Central African Republic | 36 | 95 |
| Chad | 15 | 1 | Chad | 141 | 1,131 |
| Chile | 6,730 | 2,122 | Chile | 34,637 | 61,482 |
| Christmas Island | 2 | Christmas Island | 4 | 0 | |
| Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 1 | Cocos (Keeling) Islands | 4 | 0 | |
| Colombia | 10,640 | 188 | Colombia | 36,728 | 21,040 |
| Comoros | 4 | 0 | Comoros | 7 | 97 |
| Congo (Brazzaville) | 614 | 342 | Congo (Brazzaville) | 277 | 5,714 |
| Congo (Kinshasa) | 225 | 19 | Congo (Kinshasa) | 576 | 25,938 |
| Cook Islands | 4 | 0 | Cook Islands | 8 | 21 |
| Costa Rica | 5,999 | 75 | Costa Rica | 21,312 | 7,760 |
| Cote d’Ivoire | 479 | 230 | Côte d’Ivoire | 1,611 | 5,056 |
| Croatia | 231 | 85 | Croatia | 1,995 | 2,956 |
| Cuba | 7 | 314 | Cuba | 591 | 915 |
| Cyprus | 214 | 152 | Curacao | 855 | 88 |
| Czech Republic | 1,806 | 437 | Cyprus | 242 | 1,147 |
| Denmark | 4,472 | 1,334 | Czech Republic | 12,362 | 23,222 |
| Djibouti | 17 | 54 | Denmark | 15,848 | 15,455 |
| Dominica | 44 | 60 | Djibouti | 185 | 3,059 |
| Dominican Republic | 8,856 | 76 | Dominica | 61 | 47 |
| East Timor | – | Dominican Republic | 20,587 | 5,184 | |
| Ecuador | 3,276 | 155 | East Timor | 25 | 267 |
| Egypt | 4,222 | 907 | Ecuador | 16,056 | 13,981 |
| El Salvador | 3,713 | 63 | Egypt | 8,638 | 17,387 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 250 | 323 | El Salvador | 6,868 | 1,967 |
| Eritrea | 17 | Equatorial Guinea | 223 | 1,154 | |
| Estonia | 661 | 67 | Eritrea | 38 | 604 |
| Eswatini | 120 | 3 | Estonia | 1,439 | 1,148 |
| Ethiopia | 194 | 59 | Eswatini | 69 | 51 |
| Falkland Islands(Islas Malvin | 3 | Ethiopia | 1,484 | 3,555 | |
| Faroe Islands | 33 | Falkland Islands (Malvinas) | 27 | 0 | |
| Fiji | 170 | 15 | Faroe Islands | 251 | |
| Finland | 4,822 | 3,190 | Fiji | 354 | 534 |
| France | 50,162 | 7,667 | Finland | 10,594 | 8,216 |
| French Guiana | 19 | France | 103,424 | 79,826 | |
| French Polynesia | 138 | 4 | French Guiana | 31 | |
| French Southern and Antarctic | 2 | French Polynesia | 186 | 147 | |
| Gabon | 2,260 | 342 | French Southern and Antarctic | 2 | 0 |
| Gambia | 9 | Gabon | 343 | 3,642 | |
| Gaza Strip admin. by Israel | 1 | Gambia | 83 | 496 | |
| Georgia | 141 | 4 | Gaza Strip admin. by Israel | 1 | |
| Germany | 87,961 | 19,687 | Georgia | 1,902 | 2,251 |
| Ghana | 396 | 121 | Germany | 236,049 | 201,847 |
| Gibraltar | 17 | Ghana | 2,139 | 11,826 | |
| Greece | 1,813 | 627 | Gibraltar | 651 | 43 |
| Greenland | 17 | 6 | Greece | 4,857 | 12,862 |
| Grenada | 107 | Greenland | 81 | 383 | |
| Guadeloupe | 96 | Grenada | 179 | 28 | |
| Guatemala | 4,508 | 143 | Guadeloupe | 474 | |
| Guinea | 156 | 34 | Guatemala | 14,735 | 5,037 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 1 | 5 | Guinea | 145 | 11,583 |
| Guyana | 299 | 14 | Guinea-Bissau | 4 | 98 |
| Haiti | 874 | 16 | Guyana | 6,690 | 1,407 |
| Heard and McDonald Islands | 1 | Haiti | 1,831 | 456 | |
| Honduras | 5,674 | 62 | Heard and McDonald Islands | 0 | |
| Hong Kong | 26,031 | 53,947 | Honduras | 12,590 | 2,033 |
| Hungary | 3,284 | 997 | Hong Kong | 33,859 | 310,009 |
| Iceland | 516 | 32 | Hungary | 15,965 | 16,176 |
| India | 14,354 | 2,914 | Iceland | 2,058 | 443 |
| Indonesia | 12,769 | 7,464 | India | 129,169 | 138,570 |
| Iran | 186 | 2,486 | Indonesia | 38,287 | 147,985 |
| Iraq | 6,076 | 975 | Iran | 97 | 13,374 |
| Ireland | 24,177 | 714 | Iraq | 9,083 | 54,236 |
| Israel | 20,710 | 1,054 | Ireland | 119,824 | 23,415 |
| Italy | 36,103 | 6,880 | Israel | 37,010 | 22,732 |
| Jamaica | 2,024 | 79 | Italy | 108,768 | 72,484 |
| Japan | 211,404 | 83,164 | Jamaica | 3,006 | 1,090 |
| Jordan | 390 | 253 | Japan | 227,949 | 308,321 |
| Kazakhstan | 553 | 1,557 | Jordan | 5,396 | 5,364 |
| Kenya | 348 | 137 | Kazakhstan | 3,408 | 43,976 |
| Kiribati | 6 | 1 | Kenya | 1,520 | 8,829 |
| North Korea | 3 | 488 | Kiribati | 5 | 54 |
| South Korea | 68,138 | 34,500 | North Korea | 2 | 2,182 |
| Kuwait | 3,568 | 616 | South Korea | 197,091 | 328,154 |
| Kyrgyzstan | 25 | 178 | Kosovo | 83 | |
| Laos | 14 | 41 | Kuwait | 4,055 | 16,283 |
| Latvia | 422 | 29 | Kyrgyzstan | 150 | 22,718 |
| Lebanon | 432 | 169 | Laos | 844 | 8,222 |
| Lesotho | 141 | 10 | Latvia | 1,177 | 1,148 |
| Liberia | 89 | 161 | Lebanon | 799 | 2,205 |
| Libya | 18 | 77 | Lesotho | 240 | 153 |
| Liechtenstein | 292 | Liberia | 293 | 13,163 | |
| Lithuania | 195 | 39 | Libya | 2,033 | 4,748 |
| Luxembourg | 729 | 99 | Liechtenstein | 310 | |
| Macao | 1,337 | 805 | Lithuania | 3,941 | 2,195 |
| Macedonia | 221 | 7 | Luxembourg | 1,836 | 748 |
| Madagascar | 173 | 78 | Macao | 384 | 4,042 |
| Malawi | 69 | Macedonia | 234 | 490 | |
| Malaysia | 36,506 | 8,045 | Madagascar | 787 | 1,680 |
| Maldives | 100 | 1 | Malawi | 68 | 266 |
| Mali | 42 | 35 | Malaysia | 80,240 | 212,009 |
| Malta | 817 | 95 | Maldives | 97 | 619 |
| Marshall Islands | 66 | 2 | Mali | 57 | 1,078 |
| Martinique | 24 | Malta | 581 | 4,540 | |
| Mauritania | 17 | 30 | Marshall Islands | 148 | 5,312 |
| Mauritius | 310 | 113 | Martinique | 202 | |
| Mexico | 247,275 | 1,824 | Mauritania | 143 | 2,439 |
| Micronesia | 43 | 2 | Mauritius | 283 | 1,103 |
| Moldova | 133 | 8 | Mayotte | 4 | |
| Monaco | 51 | Mexico | 839,892 | 109,273 | |
| Mongolia | 134 | 323 | Micronesia | 53 | 123 |
| Montserrat | 11 | 0 | Moldova | 190 | 465 |
| Morocco | 964 | 336 | Monaco | 210 | |
| Mozambique | 81 | 33 | Mongolia | 424 | 18,269 |
| Namibia | 125 | 12 | Montenegro | 43 | 226 |
| Nauru | 5 | Montserrat | 18 | 1 | |
| Nepal | 265 | 204 | Morocco | 7,174 | 9,041 |
| Netherlands | 31,507 | 7,923 | Mozambique | 366 | 5,172 |
| Netherlands Antilles | 1,393 | 33 | Namibia | 436 | 1,368 |
| New Caledonia | 51 | 3 | Nauru | 3 | 20 |
| New Zealand | 4,050 | 1,054 | Nepal | 241 | 2,198 |
| Nicaragua | 969 | 43 | Netherlands | 123,782 | 109,922 |
| Niger | 44 | New Caledonia | 63 | 814 | |
| Nigeria | 11,260 | 856 | New Zealand | 10,116 | 20,143 |
| Niue | 0 | Nicaragua | 7,563 | 1,252 | |
| Norfolk Island | 2 | Niger | 52 | 836 | |
| Norway | 7,253 | 1,097 | Nigeria | 9,873 | 21,905 |
| Oman | 457 | 3,321 | Niue | 5 | 19 |
| Pakistan | 2,629 | 1,162 | Norfolk Island | 0 | 1 |
| Palau | 32 | Norway | 11,175 | 10,172 | |
| Panama | 1,919 | 1,291 | Oman | 3,274 | 36,734 |
| Papua New Guinea | 57 | 226 | Pakistan | 7,259 | 23,069 |
| Paraguay | 487 | 89 | Palau | 23 | 43 |
| Peru | 3,655 | 705 | Panama | 11,258 | 12,830 |
| Philippines | 22,734 | 3,142 | Papua New Guinea | 146 | 4,606 |
| Pitcairn Islands | 3 | Paraguay | 3,515 | 2,592 | |
| Poland | 1,799 | 960 | Peru | 20,587 | 43,165 |
| Portugal | 2,563 | 308 | Philippines | 23,475 | 71,625 |
| Qatar | 677 | 472 | Pitcairn | 1 | 0 |
| Reunion | 4 | Poland | 25,673 | 44,924 | |
| Romania | 706 | 298 | Portugal | 9,637 | 9,266 |
| Russia | 9,751 | 8,003 | Qatar | 5,638 | 24,213 |
| Rwanda | 24 | 6 | Reunion | 56 | |
| Samoa | 70 | 2 | Romania | 5,164 | 13,445 |
| San Marino | 8 | Russia | 3,534 | 244,574 | |
| Sao Tome and Principe | 2 | Rwanda | 75 | 670 | |
| Saudi Arabia | 20,599 | 3,098 | Samoa | 60 | 113 |
| Senegal | 86 | 53 | San Marino | 105 | |
| Serbia and Montenegro | 32 | 68 | Sao Tome and Principe | 2 | 21 |
| Seychelles | 15 | 2 | Saudi Arabia | 25,911 | 107,429 |
| Sierra Leone | 23 | 9 | Senegal | 586 | 5,827 |
| Singapore | 36,985 | 10,821 | Serbia | 1,024 | 5,729 |
| Slovakia | 351 | 56 | Seychelles | 24 | 84 |
| Slovenia | 452 | 70 | Sierra Leone | 149 | 1,782 |
| Solomon Islands | 6 | 14 | Singapore | 89,236 | 111,205 |
| Somalia | 5 | 1 | Sint Maarten | 855 | 65 |
| South Africa | 7,299 | 2,051 | Slovakia | 8,740 | 9,714 |
| Spain | 12,036 | 2,772 | Slovenia | 6,625 | 6,634 |
| Sri Lanka | 2,207 | 458 | Solomon Islands | 14 | 596 |
| St Helena | 4 | Somalia | 52 | 972 | |
| St Kitts and Nevis | 95 | South Africa | 20,475 | 52,511 | |
| St. Lucia | 130 | 2 | South Sudan | 60 | 466 |
| St Pierre and Miquelon | 8 | Spain | 45,189 | 50,002 | |
| St Vincent and the Grenadines | 47 | Sri Lanka | 3,384 | 5,367 | |
| Sudan | 19 | 890 | St Lucia | 1,051 | 43 |
| Suriname | 270 | 11 | St Pierre and Miquelon | 3 | 0 |
| Svalbard, Jan Mayen Island | 0 | St Vincent and the Grenadines | 151 | 34 | |
| Sweden | 14,151 | 3,503 | Sudan | 70 | 1,394 |
| Switzerland | 20,114 | 2,210 | Suriname | 474 | 425 |
| Syria | 385 | 174 | Svalbard, Jan Mayen Island | 0 | |
| Taiwan | 64,909 | Sweden | 26,183 | 18,892 | |
| Tajikistan | 21 | 17 | Switzerland | 88,387 | 62,878 |
| Tanzania | 77 | 91 | Syria | 13 | 390 |
| Thailand | 23,003 | 6,624 | Taiwan | 158,601 | 293,055 |
| Togo | 17 | 80 | Tajikistan | 61 | 3,863 |
| Tokelau | 16 | Tanzania | 778 | 8,883 | |
| Tonga | 12 | Thailand | 81,047 | 133,997 | |
| Trinidad and Tobago | 3,329 | 27 | Togo | 374 | 3,499 |
| Tunisia | 383 | 99 | Tokelau | 0 | |
| Turkey | 6,762 | 1,205 | Tonga | 23 | 70 |
| Turkmenistan | 112 | 16 | Trinidad and Tobago | 6,266 | 1,167 |
| Turks and Caicos Islands | 95 | 0 | Tunisia | 1,627 | 2,882 |
| Tuvalu | – | Turkey | 32,039 | 42,890 | |
| Uganda | 57 | 15 | Turkmenistan | 97 | 10,648 |
| Ukraine | 1,063 | 591 | Turks and Caicos Islands | 725 | 20 |
| United Arab Emirates | 3,256 | 2,495 | Tuvalu | 1 | 19 |
| United Kingdom | 84,916 | 9,903 | Uganda | 239 | 1,463 |
| Uruguay | 850 | 344 | Ukraine | 2,870 | 8,013 |
| Uzbekistan | 199 | 51 | United Arab Emirates | 34,444 | 101,785 |
| Vanuatu | 2 | 2 | United Kingdom | 148,026 | 98,354 |
| Venezuela | 24,173 | 351 | Uruguay | 2,878 | 6,590 |
| Vietnam | 1,189 | 2,466 | Uzbekistan | 423 | 13,785 |
| Yemen | 445 | 912 | Vanuatu | 21 | 206 |
| Wallis and Futuna | – | Vatican City | 1 | ||
| West Bank admin. by Israel | 14 | 6 | Venezuela | 10,220 | 6,407 |
| Western Sahara | – | Vietnam | 149,659 | 260,741 | |
| Zambia | 37 | 102 | Wallis and Futuna Islands | 0 | 2 |
| Zimbabwe | 165 | 135 | Yemen | 143 | 2,494 |
| Palestine | 10 | 155 | |||
| Zambia | 283 | 6,693 | |||
| Zimbabwe | 112 | 3,809 | |||
| Saint Helena | 20 | 0 | |||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | 180 | 28 |
China is now the dominant trade partner for most of Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Oceania, South America, and Africa.
Looking forward, China is expected to continue to deepen its relationships with emerging markets—importing fuels, minerals, and agricultural goods, and exporting manufactured products.
Learn More on the Voronoi App
To learn more about this topic, check out: China’s Exports Grow in Emerging Markets, Decline in the U.S., that shows how China continues to deepen its economic ties away from the United States over the last decades.
The post Mapped: How China Overtook the U.S. in Global Trade (2000–2024) appeared first on Visual Capitalist.