German exporters sold more goods to Poland than to China during the first half of the year, according to an analysis released on Friday. This shift highlights the success
of a diversification effort by major German companies aiming to reduce their reliance on the Chinese market.
Germany's key exporters, particularly in sectors like industrial goods and automobiles, have traditionally been a cornerstone of the nation's economy, contributing to its strong trade surplus. However, recent geopolitical tensions between China and Western countries have prompted a strategic shift in export destinations.
Data from the Committee on Eastern European Economic Relations, a German lobby group promoting trade with Eastern Europe, revealed that exports to Poland increased by 4.6% to reach 48.4 billion euros ($53.2 billion) in the first six months of the year. In contrast, exports to China declined by 2.7% during the same period, totaling 48.2 billion euros, according to preliminary figures from the German statistics office.
As a result, Poland has risen to become the fourth-largest export market for German goods, while China has slipped to fifth place.
Cathrina Claas-Muehlhaeuser, chairwoman of the committee, hailed this shift as a significant achievement in the ongoing efforts to diversify the German economy, particularly in reducing dependence on the Chinese market. "This should motivate the new EU Commission and candidate countries to expedite the expansion of the EU towards the east and southeast," she told Reuters.
The figures also showed that German exports to Eastern Europe slightly increased to 145 billion euros in the first half of the year, even as overall exports declined. Eastern European countries now account for nearly 19% of Germany's foreign trade, solidifying their role as a crucial component of the country's export-oriented economy, Claas-Muehlhaeuser noted.
The United States remained Germany's largest export market in the first six months of the year, followed by France and the Netherlands. Photo by High Contrast, Wikimedia commons.