A new study shows the European Union is spending about three times more on imports from China than the bloc exports there, with the trade deficit running at more than €1bn a day in July, according to the Guardian.
Key facts
- Consumers and businesses in the EU are spending three times more on Chinese imports than China spends on EU exports, according to the Guardian.
- The EU-China trade deficit ran at more than €1bn (£860m) a day in July, according to customs data cited by the Guardian.
- The figures are drawn from customs data, according to the Guardian.
- The Guardian reported the data ran days before Xi Jinping's summit with Donald Trump.
Consumers and businesses in the European Union are spending three times more on Chinese imports than their counterparts in China are buying from the bloc, according to a study reported by the Guardian.
Customs data cited in the study showed that the gap between the EU’s imports from China and its exports to China — the trade deficit — ran at more than €1bn (£860m) a day in July, the Guardian reported.
The scale of the imbalance underscores the one-sided nature of trade flows between the two economies, with European purchases of Chinese goods outpacing Chinese demand for European products.
According to the Guardian, the July figures came days before Chinese President Xi Jinping’s summit with US President Donald Trump, placing the trade relationship in the spotlight.
The report focuses on the July customs figures, which capture the daily rate of the deficit at more than €1bn, illustrating how quickly the gap accumulates over the course of a month.
The Guardian’s coverage frames the data as a snapshot of the EU-China trading relationship at a moment of heightened attention to global trade.
Why it matters
A persistent, large trade deficit shapes debates over industrial policy, jobs and dependence on Chinese manufacturing across Europe. With the figures emerging around a high-profile Xi-Trump summit, the imbalance is likely to feature in wider discussions about global trade and economic strategy.
Frequently asked questions
How big is the EU's trade deficit with China?
According to the Guardian, the gap between the EU's imports from China and its exports to China ran at more than €1bn (about $860m) a day in July.
How much more does the EU import than it exports to China?
The study cited by the Guardian found that the EU spends roughly three times more on Chinese imports than China spends on EU exports.
When were the figures released?
The Guardian reported the data on 22 September 2026, days before Xi Jinping's summit with Donald Trump.