Russia-China Bilateral Trade Hit US$110 Billion in 2019 – What Is China Buying?
Bilateral trade between Russia and China increased 3.4% in 2019, amounting to US$110.79 billion, according to the Chinese Administration of Customs. Trade was well balanced, with Chinese exports to Russia increasing to 3.6 per cent and US$49.7 billion, while imports from Russia increased 3.2 percent to total US$61.05 billion.
In December alone, China imported US$5.53 billion worth of Russian goods and exported US$4.88 worth of its own goods to Russia, the data shows, and makes Russia China’s tenth largest market for foreign products. The Russian export to China trend has doubled in the past two years.
“This level of trade volumes are now starting to attract the Russian services industry to China” says Chris Devonshire-Ellis of Dezan Shira & Associates. “Although the bulk of Russian exports to China are industrial, an increasing number of smaller traders and service providers are also selling to China as the trade volume increases. Russia is seen as a friendly trade partner by China and the two countries share a long history and border. With the Chinese consumer index at its highest level of optimism for ten years now is a good time for Russian businesses to be examining the China market.”
Dezan Shira & Associates maintain a Russian desk and have 12 offices throughout mainland China and one in Hong Kong. Please contact Maria Kotova at russia@dezshira.com for assistance
Items Imported By China From Russia
| Value | Year | |
|---|---|---|
| Mineral fuels, oils, distillation products | $42.11B | 2018 |
| Wood and articles of wood, wood charcoal | $4.69B | 2018 |
| Fish, crustaceans, molluscs, aquatics invertebrates | $2.11B | 2018 |
| Copper | $1.66B | 2018 |
| Ores slag and ash | $1.54B | 2018 |
| Pulp of wood, fibrous cellulosic material, waste | $1.14B | 2018 |
| Nickel | $1.12B | 2018 |
| Fertilizers | $511.38M | 2018 |
| Animal, vegetable fats and oils, cleavage products | $387.58M | 2018 |
| Pearls, precious stones, metals, coins | $386.30M | 2018 |
| Oil seed, oleagic fruits, grain, seed, fruits | $376.10M | 2018 |
| Plastics | $284.49M | 2018 |
| Rubbers | $249.69M | 2018 |
| Machinery, nuclear reactors, boilers | $233.38M | 2018 |
| Paper and paperboard, articles of pulp, paper and board | $221.68M | 2018 |
| Inorganic chemicals, precious metal compound, isotope | $220.20M | 2018 |
| Commodities not specified according to kind | $201.48M | 2018 |
| Organic chemicals | $177.63M | 2018 |
| Optical, photo, technical, medical apparatus | $173.51M | 2018 |
| Aluminum | $167.78M | 2018 |
| Aircraft, spacecraft | $111.25M | 2018 |
| Salt, sulphur, earth, stone, plaster, lime and cement | $110.96M | 2018 |
| Residues, wastes of food industry, animal fodder | $97.91M | 2018 |
| Miscellaneous chemical products | $88.33M | 2018 |
| Electrical, electronic equipment | $75.03M | 2018 |
| Base metals not specified elsewhere, cermets. | $71.51M | 2018 |
| Cocoa and cocoa preparations | $61.44M | 2018 |
| Beverages, spirits and vinegar | $33.21M | 2018 |
| Cereals | $29.30M | 2018 |
| Edible fruits, nuts, peel of citrus fruit, melons | $26.10M | 2018 |
| Milling products, malt, starches, inlin, wheat gluten | $23.41M | 2018 |
| Iron and steel | $22.42M | 2018 |
| Raw hides and skins (other than furskins) and leather | $19.61M | 2018 |
| Products of animal origin | $19.24M | 2018 |
| Zinc | $11.93M | 2018 |
| Stone, plaster, cement, asbestos, mica or similar materials | $10.59M | 2018 |
| Furniture, lighting signs, prefabricated buildings | $10.24M | 2018 |
| Wool, animal hair, horsehair yarn and fabric | $9.32M | 2018 |
| Articles of iron or steel | $7.39M | 2018 |
| Live animals | $7.14M | 2018 |
| Ships, boats, and other floating structures | $6.86M | 2018 |
| Works of art, collectors’ pieces and antiques | $6.49M | 2018 |
| Printed books, newspapers, pictures | $6.41M | 2018 |
| Tobacco and manufactures tobacco substitutes | $5.86M | 2018 |
| Cereal, flour, starch, milk preparations and products | $4.28M | 2018 |
| Essential oils, perfumes, cosmetics, toileteries | $4.08M | 2018 |
| Miscellaneous edible preparations | $3.45M | 2018 |
| Meat, fish and seafood preparations | $3.33M | 2018 |
| Vegetable plaiting materials, vegetable products | $3.18M | 2018 |
| Vehicles other than railway, tramway | $2.53M | 2018 |
| Soaps, lubricants, waxes, candles, modelling pastes | $2.31M | 2018 |
| Sugars and sugar confectionery | $2.28M | 2018 |
| Miscellaneous articles of base metal | $2.00M | 2018 |
| Ceramic products | $1.86M | 2018 |
| Vegetable textile fibers not specified elsewhere, paper yarn, woven fabric | $1.48M | 2018 |
| Glass and glassware | $1.47M | 2018 |
| Pharmaceutical products | $1.33M | 2018 |
| Furskins and artificial fur, manufactures | $1.07M | 2018 |
| Dairy products, eggs, honey, edible products | $962.27K | 2018 |
| Other made textile articles, sets, worn clothing | $946.21K | 2018 |
| Cotton | $887.37K | 2018 |
| Tanning, dyeing extracts, tannins, derivatives, pigments | $807.86K | 2018 |
| Edible vegetables and certain roots and tubers | $707.42K | 2018 |
| Vegetable, fruit, nut food preparations | $694.30K | 2018 |
| Articles of apparel, not knit or crocheted | $497.18K | 2018 |
| Manmade staple fibers | $483.60K | 2018 |
| Tools, implements, cutlery of base metal | $470.80K | 2018 |
| Impregnated, coated or laminated textile fabric | $469.83K | 2018 |
| Railway, tramway locomotives, rolling stock, equipment | $374.23K | 2018 |
| Toys, games, sports requisites | $268.14K | 2018 |
| Manmade filaments | $240.75K | 2018 |
| Clocks and watches | $184.70K | 2018 |
| Albuminoids, modified starches, glues, enzymes | $156.11K | 2018 |
| Articles of apparel, knit or crocheted | $147.19K | 2018 |
| Lead | $91.03K | 2018 |
| Meat and edible meat offal | $83.84K | 2018 |
| Coffee, tea, mate and spices | $75.68K | 2018 |
| Miscellanneous manufactured articles | $73.65K | 2018 |
| Footwear, gaiters and the like, | $43.72K | 2018 |
| Musical instruments, parts and accessories | $38.28K | 2018 |
| Photographic or cinematographic goods | $30.13K | 2018 |
| Articles of leather, animal gut, harness, travel good | $21.38K | 2018 |
| Wadding, felt, nonwovens, yarns, twine, cordage | $12.72K | 2018 |
| Tin | $7.13K | 2018 |
| Bird skin, feathers, artificial flowers, human hair | $3.00K | 2018 |
| Special woven or tufted fabric, lace, tapestry | $1.85K | 2018 |
| Headgear and | $1.52K | 2018 |
| Carpets and other textile floor coverings | $1.29K | 2018 |
| Silk | $317 | 2018 |
| Lac, gums, resins | $176 | 2018 |
| Knitted or crocheted fabric | $103 | 2018 |
| Arms and ammunition, parts and accessories | $198.41K | 2017 |
| Umbrellas, walking-sticks, seat-sticks, whips | $1.48K | 2017 |
| Cork and articles of cork | $7.66K | 2016 |
| Live trees, plants, bulbs, roots, cut flowers | $188.88K | 2013 |
| Manufacturers of plaiting material, basketwork | $300 | 2010 |
| Explosives, pyrotechnics, matches, pyrophorics | $408.98K | 2007 |
(courtesy of Trading Economics. 2018 figures)
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About Us
During these uncertain times and with sanctions in place, our firm helps Russian companies relocate to Asia. We also provide financial and sanctions compliance services to foreign companies operating in Russia. Additionally, we offer market research and advisory services to foreign exporters interested in doing business in Russia as the economy looks to replace Western-sourced products. For assistance please email russia@dezshira.com or visit www.dezshira.com
