Colombia-China Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $15.86B total volume โ€ขColombia deficit: $10.84B

Colombia โ†’ China

$2.51B

Exports (2023)

China โ†’ Colombia

$13.35B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$10.84B

Deficit for Colombia

Total Trade

$15.86B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

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

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

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

Colombia โ†’ China Exports

$2.51B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
42.6% top product
1Oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude
$1.07B
42.6% of exports
2Coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated
$458.49M
18.3% of exports
3Ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel
$306.40M
12.2% of exports
4Copper: waste and scrap
$158.31M
6.3% of exports
5Coffee: not roasted or decaffeinated
$137.38M
5.5% of exports
6Petroleum coke: (not calcined), obtained from bituminous minerals
$89.55M
3.6% of exports
7Copper ores and concentrates
$56.48M
2.3% of exports
8Vegetable oils: soya-bean oil and its fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified
$56.22M
2.2% of exports
9Precious metal ores and concentrates: (excluding silver)
$42.08M
1.7% of exports
10Vegetable oils: palm oil and its fractions, other than crude, whether or not refined, but not chemically modified
$18.44M
0.7% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

Colombia's export portfolio to China demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

China โ†’ Colombia Imports

$13.35B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
9.1% concentration
1Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$1.21B
9.1% of imports
2Automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display
$553.18M
4.1% of imports
3Electrical apparatus: photosensitive, including photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels, light-emitting diodes (LED)
$388.56M
2.9% of imports
4Communication 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
$294.41M
2.2% of imports
5Poly(ethylene terephthalate): in primary forms, having a viscosity of 78ml/g or higher
$127.56M
1.0% of imports
6Rubber: new pneumatic tyres, of a kind used on buses or lorries
$124.84M
0.9% of imports
7Electrical static converters
$122.28M
0.9% of imports
8Tricycles, scooters, pedal cars and similar wheeled toys: dolls' carriages: dolls: other toys: reduced-size (scale) models and similar recreational models, working or not: puzzles of all kinds
$117.01M
0.9% of imports
9Steel, alloy: flat-rolled, width 600mm or more, cold-rolled
$109.92M
0.8% of imports
10Air conditioning machines: comprising a motor-driven fan and elements for changing the temperature and humidity, of a kind designed to be fixed to a window, wall, ceiling or floor, self-contained or "split-system"
$103.30M
0.8% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

Colombia's import pattern from China reveals significant dependencyin telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, highlighting complementary economic structures and potential supply chain optimization opportunities.

Competitive Trade Position Analysis

๐Ÿ†

Market Leadership

Colombia demonstrates competitive strength in exportingoils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude to China, 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 $15.86B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: Colombia-China Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $15.86 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Colombia maintains a deficit of $10.84 billion
  • Export Focus: Colombia's primary exports include oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated, ferro-alloys: ferro-nickel
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from China include telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, automatic data processing machines: portable, weighing not more than 10kg, consisting of at least a central processing unit, a keyboard and a display, electrical apparatus: photosensitive, including photovoltaic cells, whether or not assembled in modules or made up into panels, light-emitting diodes (led)

Strategic Trade Indicators

Trade IntensityHigh
Export DiversificationDiversified
Trade Balance HealthImbalanced

๐Ÿ“ˆ Market Position: This bilateral trade relationship represents a significant global 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 $15.86B 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 Colombia leveraging its comparative advantages in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude.

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

Colombia's specialization in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crudecomplements China's demand patterns, creating natural trade synergies.

2

Supply Chain Integration

Deep integration in global value chains has strengthened bilateral linkages, particularly in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks.

3

Market Access & Trade Policy

Favorable trade agreements and market access conditions have facilitated the growth of this $15.86B bilateral relationship.

Trade Pattern Insights

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

Trade Relationship Outlook

The $15.86B 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 $15.86 billion bilateral trade volume represents a significant economic factorfor both economies.

Economic Significance: High
๐Ÿญ

Industrial Integration

Trade flows in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude and telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks demonstrate deep industrial linkages and supply chain integration.

Supply Chain Integration: Diversified
โš–๏ธ

Trade Balance Effects

Colombia's trade deficit of $10.84 billion impacts its overall economic position in this bilateral relationship.

Balance Impact: Import Dependency

Strategic Future Outlook

๐Ÿš€Growth Opportunities

Emerging Sectors
Technology transfer and innovation cooperation in coal: bituminous, whether or not pulverised, but not agglomerated present expansion opportunities.
Market Diversification
Beyond current focus on telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, 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 oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude 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 Colombia and China represents a total trade volume of $15.86 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates an unfavorable trade balance for Colombia, with imports exceeding exportsby $10.84 billion.

Export Strengths

Colombia's exports to China total $2.51 billion, with competitive advantages in oils: petroleum oils and oils obtained from bituminous minerals, crude, representing $1.07B or42.6% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from China amount to $13.35 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, with Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks comprising9.1% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade deficit indicates Colombia's strategic sourcing from China. 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 Colombia and China 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