What do we import from China?
A relatively large number of high-tech products originate from China, such as computers, laptops and mobile phones. The import value of goods from China amounted to 44.6 billion euros in 2020. In terms of value, China, with a share of 10.5 percent, is our second most-important trading partner for the import of goods, after Germany.
The share of technological products in goods imported from China was about 58 percent in 2020. This share is much lower (28 percent) from the perspective of total goods imported into the Netherlands. Computers, laptops and tablets accounted for 14 percent of the total import value from China at 6.1 billion euros. Relative to 2015, imports of these goods have increased by 37 percent. Modems, routers and speakers, etc. accounted for almost 11 percent of imports from China, more than a doubling compared to 2015. The top five major import products also include clothing (import value of 2.2 billion euros in 2020), televisions (1.8 billion euros), and monitors and projection devices (1.6 billion euros).
| Product | Import value |
|---|---|
| Computers, laptops, tablets | 6.138 |
| Modems, routers, speakers, etc. | 4.739 |
| Clothing | 2.177 |
| Chips and semiconductors | 1.908 |
| Television sets | 1.777 |
| Monitors | 1.641 |
| Mobile phones | 1.189 |
| Furniture | 1.135 |
| Face masks | 0.815 |
| Toys | 0.770 |
| * provisional figure | |
Imports from China up significantly
Over the last three decades, imports from China have grown much faster than the total import of goods into the Netherlands: in 1990, 0.6 percent of imported goods came from China; thirty years later, the figure is 10.5 percent. In this respect, the Netherlands is a gateway to European markets: of the 44.6 billion euros worth of goods the Netherlands imported from China in 2020, about two-thirds were destined for re-exports (to other countries). These goods leave this country in an (almost) unprocessed state, but have been temporarily owned by companies or persons in the Netherlands.
In addition, 38 billion euros worth of Chinese products are exported without having been owned by a company or person based in the Netherlands. With a share of 40 percent, China is the Netherlands’ most important partner for inbound transit. If this transit trade is taken into account, imports from China amount to nearly 83 billion euros.
Imports from China 11 percent up in first half of 2021
Imports of goods from China were 11 percent higher in the first six months of 2021 than in the same period in 2020. This means that growth in imports from China lags behind total import growth (17 percent). The reason for the slowdown in imports from China is rising trade prices being passed on to consumers as a result of substantially higher oil prices in the first half of 2021. As the Netherlands imports hardly any oil products from China, the effect of this price increase has barely been felt on the import value of goods from China. In addition, the coronavirus pandemic has caused the import value of clothing to drop by 17 percent following lower demand. As a result of these developments, China was the third most important supplier of goods in the first half of 2021, after Germany and Belgium. At 9.6 percent, China’s share in the total value of Dutch goods imports in the first half of 2021 was 0.5 percent lower than one year previously.
Source
StatLine – International trade; import and export values key figures
Relevant link
Dossier – Globalisation
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