China-Liberia Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $8.48B total volume โ€ขChina surplus: $8.31B

China โ†’ Liberia

$8.40B

Exports (2023)

Liberia โ†’ China

$85.12M

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$8.31B

Surplus for China

Total Trade

$8.48B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between China and Liberia. Green line shows exports from China, red line shows imports.

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

Comprehensive breakdown of trade flows by product category, revealing the specialized nature of the China-Liberia commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

China โ†’ Liberia Exports

$8.40B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
60.9% top product
1Vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods
$5.12B
60.9% of exports
2Petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils
$1.77B
21.0% of exports
3Tankers
$332.74M
4.0% of exports
4Machinery: for filtering or purifying gases, other than intake air filters for internal combustion engines
$179.51M
2.1% of exports
5Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, n.e.c. in heading 7308
$76.70M
0.9% of exports
6Machines and mechanical appliances: parts, of those having individual functions
$56.74M
0.7% of exports
7Engines: parts for internal combustion piston engines (excluding spark-ignition)
$39.91M
0.5% of exports
8Machinery: for filtering or purifying water
$30.74M
0.4% of exports
9Vehicles: compression-ignition internal combustion piston engine (diesel or semi-diesel), for transport of goods, (of a gvw not exceeding 5 tonnes), n.e.c. in item no 8704.1
$27.66M
0.3% of exports
10Iron or steel: structures and parts thereof, props and similar equipment for scaffolding, shuttering or pit-propping
$25.74M
0.3% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

China's export portfolio to Liberia demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

Liberia โ†’ China Imports

$85.12M
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
56.0% concentration
1Iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated
$47.66M
56.0% of imports
2Wood, tropical: other than dark red meranti, light red meranti and meranti bakau, in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared, untreated
$14.29M
16.8% of imports
3Titanium ores and concentrates
$14.02M
16.5% of imports
4Zirconium ores and concentrates
$6.53M
7.7% of imports
5Rubber: technically specified natural rubber (TSNR), in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip (excluding latex and smoked sheets)
$956,592
1.1% of imports
6Rubber: natural rubber latex, whether or not pre-vulcanised, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip
$466,344
0.5% of imports
7Engines: parts for internal combustion piston engines (excluding spark-ignition)
$216,516
0.3% of imports
8Aquatic invertebrates: sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus spp., Paracentrotus lividus, Loxechinus albus, Echinus esculentus), dried, salted or in brine, smoked, whether or not cooked before or during smoking process
$144,000
0.2% of imports
9Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326
$125,429
0.1% of imports
10Diamonds: non-industrial, unworked or simply sawn, cleaved or bruted, but not mounted or set
$124,086
0.1% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

China's import pattern from Liberia reveals significant dependencyin iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

๐Ÿ†

Market Leadership

China demonstrates competitive strength in exportingvessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods to Liberia, leveraging comparative advantages.

Export Leader in 20+ Categories
๐Ÿ”„

Trade Complementarity

The bilateral relationship showsmoderatecomplementarity, with each country specializing in different sectors.

Specialized Exchange
๐Ÿ“ˆ

Growth Potential

The $8.48B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Significant Partnership

Executive Summary: China-Liberia Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $8.48 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: China maintains a surplus of $8.31 billion
  • Export Focus: China's primary exports include vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods, petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils, tankers
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from Liberia include iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated, wood, tropical: other than dark red meranti, light red meranti and meranti bakau, in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared, untreated, titanium ores and concentrates

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

๐Ÿ“ˆ Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents an important regional trade partnerships, with complementary economic strengths driving sustained commercial exchange.

Historical Trade Analysis & Economic Context

Trade Evolution Timeline

2019-2023: Recent Trends

Current trade volume of $8.48B represents the culmination of evolving bilateral commercial relationships, influenced by global supply chain shifts and changing economic priorities.

2015-2019: Growth Period

Sustained expansion in bilateral trade driven by complementary economic structures, with China leveraging its comparative advantages in vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods.

2010-2015: Foundation Building

Establishment of modern trade frameworks and reduction of barriers, facilitating increased commercial exchange and investment flows between the two economies.

Pre-2010: Early Development

Initial stages of bilateral trade relationship development, with focus on traditional export-import patterns and gradual market integration.

Key Economic Drivers

1

Comparative Advantage

China's specialization in vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goodscomplements Liberia's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $8.48B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

Trade ComplementarityAsymmetric
Seasonal VariationsModerate
Product ConcentrationLow
Market DependencyHigh
๐Ÿ”ฎ

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $8.48B bilateral trade volume positions this relationship for continued growth, supported by technological advancement, evolving consumer preferences, and strengthening economic ties. Key opportunities lie in expanding cooperation in emerging sectors while managing potential supply chain vulnerabilities.

Economic Impact & Strategic Outlook

Economic Impact Assessment

๐Ÿ’ฐ

Trade Volume Impact

The $8.48 billion bilateral trade volume represents a important trade relationshipfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Moderate
๐Ÿญ

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods and iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
โš–๏ธ

Trade Balance Effects

China's trade surplus of $8.31 billion strengthens its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Export Advantage

Strategic Future Outlook

๐Ÿš€Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in petroleum oils and oils from bituminous minerals, not crude: preparations n.e.c. containing by weight 70% or more of petroleum oils or oils from bituminous minerals: these being the basic constituents of the preparations: waste oils present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

โš ๏ธRisk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
High trade imbalance may create supply chain risks
Market Competition
Global competition in vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods may affect future market positioning.

๐ŸŽฏStrategic Recommendations

  • Strengthen cooperation in high-value sectors beyond current trade patterns
  • Develop alternative supply chains to reduce dependency risks
  • Explore joint ventures in emerging technology sectors
  • Enhance trade facilitation and reduce transaction costs

Market Position & Competitive Summary

The bilateral trade relationship between China and Liberia represents a total trade volume of $8.48 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for China, with exports exceeding importsby $8.31 billion.

Export Strengths

China's exports to Liberia total $8.40 billion, with competitive advantages in vessels: n.e.c. in heading no. 8901, for the transport of goods and other vessels for the transport of both persons and goods, representing $5.12B or60.9% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from Liberia amount to $85.12 million, highlighting economic interdependence in iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated, with Iron ores and concentrates: non-agglomerated comprising56.0% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade surplus indicates China's competitive position in this bilateral relationship. This partnership is characterized by complementary trade flows, with each country specializing in different product categories based on their respective economic strengths, industrial capabilities, and position in global value chains.

Download Bilateral Trade Data

Access detailed trade data between China and Liberia in multiple formats.

Data Source: CEPII BACI (Base pour l'Analyse du Commerce International) โ€ข Last Updated: January 2025 โ€ข Coverage: 1995-2023