The Top 10 Countries With the Biggest Trade Surplus 🚢

Key Takeaways

• Fueled by an export boom, China's trade surplus is the largest globally at $593.9 billion in 2023, skyrocketing from $33.7 billion in 20 years.
• Germany ranks in second, driven by exports of cars ($174 billion) and vehicle parts ($69.4 billion). The country's top export destination was America, receiving 10% of its exports.
• Five of the world's largest trade surpluses are in Europe, followed by two in Asia based on data from the World Bank as of March 4, 2025.

China's $594 Billion Trade Surplus

In 2023, China's trade surplus was greater than the next three countries combined, standing as the top trading partner to 60 countries globally.

Since the pandemic, China's merchandise exports have ballooned by $1 trillion, with the country increasingly exporting to Southeast Asian countries amid growing trade tensions with America and other nations.

At a time of sluggish GDP growth and weak domestic demand, China has particularly focused on manufacturing as an engine of economic growth.