China Trade Tracker

November 2023

This issue provides an overview of Chinese trade in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2023 (July 1st 2022 – June 30th 2023) and analysis of UK macro regions from north to south. It draws on HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) data compiled by CBBC and includes Hong Kong data for the first time.

Key Highlights

• Goods exports from all UK regions to China grew 4.6% to £21.5 billion in the four quarters to the end of Q2 2023, after falling for three successive 12-month periods
• Six out of 12 UK macro regions experienced growth in their China exports, with East Midlands (+39.5%), West Midlands (29.6%), and Yorkshire and the Humber (18.5%) growing the fastest
• Scottish exports to China grew 11.6% after declining for three consecutive 12-month periods, bolstered by a 35% increase in its top export, beverages
• UK consumer goods exports to China experienced especially fast growth, including beverages (+12% to £505.9m), travel goods (+38% to £178.6m), and clothing (+8% to £146.6m)
• Out of UK macro regions, the biggest goods exporter to Mainland China was London (£2.1b). The biggest to Hong Kong was East Midlands (£2.4b)

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May 2023

This issue provides an overview of Chinese trade in the second half of 2022 (Jul 1 – Dec 31) and analysis of UK macro regions from north to south. It draws on HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) data compiled by CBBC.

Key highlights

• The majority of UK regions experienced positive year-on-year trade growth with China
• Scotland’s trade with China recovered 9.1% after falling for five consecutive 6-month periods, boosted by a 129% rise in beverage exports
• Welsh exports to China grew 12%, carrying on an uninterrupted run of year-on-year growth that began in 2015
• UK’s biggest export to China, automobiles, grew 13% year-on-year to £1.98 billion
• The UK’s top exporters to China were London (£1.42b), West Midlands (£1.37b), North West (£0.92b), and South East (£0.69b)

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December 2022

This issue provides an overview of the impact of Chinese trade in the second quarter 2022 and detailed analysis of each region across the whole of the UK.

Key highlights

• Strong growth in exports of medicinal and pharmaceutical products, professional, scientific and controlling instruments and manufactures of metal. 
• In April, Chinese exports and imports valued in US Dollars grew only 2.1% year-on-year.
• While exports to China fell across most regions of the UK, Yorkshire and the Humber saw goods exports increase 41% year-on-year – the biggest rise in the country – by surging petroleum exports, up nearly 680%. 

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September 2022

This issue provides an overview of the impact of Chinese trade in the first quarter of 2022 and detailed analysis of each region across the whole of the UK.

Key highlights

• The first quarter of 2022 has seen overall UK exports to China decline by almost 13% to £4.9bn due to comprehensive lockdowns in Shanghai and other Chinese cities. There were just four regions maintaining growth in exports during this period.
• Wales saw the strongest growth in goods exports to China out of any UK region in Q1 2022. Welsh exports to China were worth £148million in the first quarter of 2022, a 23% year-on-year increase. It is the only UK region from where exports to China have grown for five consecutive quarters.

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May 2022

This issue provides an analysis of UK-China trade in 2021, the impact on the Q3 ’21 trade flows and the impact on each region across the UK.

Key highlights

• The third quarter of 2021 saw UK exports to China rise by 1.2% compared with the same period the previous year.
• Many UK regions are seeing Chinese exports grow YoY, with the devolved nations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in particular seeing strong growth.
• Regional trends indicate that continued industrial investment and focus on China will continue to drive demand for UK expertise, particularly across healthcare, professional services and scientific instruments.

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February 2022

This issue reveals that British goods exports to China increased by 3.1% in the first nine months of 2021, representing a monetary value of £13.5bn in export sales. 

Key highlights

• British exports to China reached £30bn in 2019 – tripling in size since 2010. Despite the pandemic’s decline in export levels, China remains the UK’s third largest trading partner.
• There was a significant increase of 3.1% in British goods' exports to China’s markets in the first nine months of 2021, with a value of £13.5bn. 
• There is a growth of emerging export markets noted across UK regions, particularly in the meat industry and metal production. There is anticipated the rise of middle-class markets in China presenting opportunities. 

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October 2021 

This issue highlights the benefits to the UK economy of a healthy trade and investment relationship with China, which is expected to be the world's largest economy by 2030. 

Key highlights

• Over the past decade, UK exports to China have more than tripled to over £30bn, making China UK’s third largest trading partner.
• Despite Covid pandemic, UK exports to China grew 3.2% last year, while exports to Europe and US fell.
• China is expected to account for two thirds of the growth in the global middle class in the next decade; by 2030, the size of the global middle class is expected to reach 2.3bn. 

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