China-Thailand Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $112.87B total volume โ€ขChina surplus: $35.77B

China โ†’ Thailand

$74.32B

Exports (2023)

Thailand โ†’ China

$38.55B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$35.77B

Surplus for China

Total Trade

$112.87B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

Direct trade relationship between China and Thailand. 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-Thailand commercial relationship and competitive positioning in global markets.

China โ†’ Thailand Exports

$74.32B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
4.2% top product
1Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$3.10B
4.2% of exports
2Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion
$2.51B
3.4% of exports
3Automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display
$1.84B
2.5% of exports
4Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326
$1.56B
2.1% of exports
5Chemical elements: doped for use in electronics, in the form of discs, wafers or similar forms: chemical compounds doped for use in electronics
$1.40B
1.9% of exports
6Electrical apparatus: photosensitive, including photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels, light-emitting diodes (LED)
$1.17B
1.6% of exports
7Iron or non-alloy steel: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, (not corrugated), plated or coated with zinc (not electrolytically)
$905.78M
1.2% of exports
8Communication apparatus (excluding telephone sets or base stations): machines for the reception, conversion and transmission or regeneration of voice, images or other data, including switching and routing apparatus
$836.15M
1.1% of exports
9Circuits: printed
$826.84M
1.1% of exports
10Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542
$813.96M
1.1% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

China's export portfolio to Thailand demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

Thailand โ†’ China Imports

$38.55B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
10.8% concentration
1Fruit, edible: durians, fresh
$4.18B
10.8% of imports
2Rubber: mixtures of natural and synthetic rubbers of heading no. 4001 and 4002, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip
$2.25B
5.8% of imports
3Units of automatic data processing machines: storage units
$2.14B
5.6% of imports
4Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542
$1.36B
3.5% of imports
5Vegetable roots and tubers: manioc (cassava), with high starch or inulin content, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not sliced or in the form of pellets
$1.22B
3.2% of imports
6Wood, tropical, n.e.c. in item no. 4407.2, sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end-jointed, of a thickness exceeding 6mm
$1.14B
3.0% of imports
7Rubber: technically specified natural rubber (TSNR), in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip (excluding latex and smoked sheets)
$993.26M
2.6% of imports
8Starch: manioc (cassava)
$970.63M
2.5% of imports
9Sugars: n.e.c. in heading no. 1702, including invert sugar and other sugar and sugar syrup blends containing, in the dry state, 50% by weight of fructose
$836.70M
2.2% of imports
10Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, having a specific gravity of less than 0.94
$798.49M
2.1% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

China's import pattern from Thailand reveals significant dependencyin fruit, edible: durians, fresh, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

๐Ÿ†

Market Leadership

China demonstrates competitive strength in exportingtelephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks to Thailand, 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 $112.87B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: China-Thailand Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $112.87 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: China maintains a surplus of $35.77 billion
  • Export Focus: China's primary exports include telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion, automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from Thailand include fruit, edible: durians, fresh, rubber: mixtures of natural and synthetic rubbers of heading no. 4001 and 4002, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip, units of automatic data processing machines: storage units

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

๐Ÿ“ˆ Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents one of the world's largest 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 $112.87B 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 telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks.

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 telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networkscomplements Thailand's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in fruit, edible: durians, fresh.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $112.87B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

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

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $112.87B 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 $112.87 billion bilateral trade volume represents a major economic driverfor both economies.

Economic Significance: Critical
๐Ÿญ

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks and fruit, edible: durians, fresh demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
โš–๏ธ

Trade Balance Effects

China's trade surplus of $35.77 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 vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on fruit, edible: durians, fresh, new product categories offer potential for trade expansion.

โš ๏ธRisk Factors

Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks 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 Thailand represents a total trade volume of $112.87 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates a favorable trade balance for China, with exports exceeding importsby $35.77 billion.

Export Strengths

China's exports to Thailand total $74.32 billion, with competitive advantages in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, representing $3.10B or4.2% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from Thailand amount to $38.55 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in fruit, edible: durians, fresh, with Fruit, edible: durians, fresh comprising10.8% 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 Thailand 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