Thailand-China Bilateral Trade Analysis 2023

Complete trade statistics: $112.87B total volume โ€ขThailand deficit: $35.77B

Thailand โ†’ China

$38.55B

Exports (2023)

China โ†’ Thailand

$74.32B

Imports (2023)

Trade Balance

$35.77B

Deficit for Thailand

Total Trade

$112.87B

Combined Volume

Trade Flow Visualization

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

Detailed Product Trade Analysis

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

Thailand โ†’ China Exports

$38.55B
2023 Total

Export Market Intelligence

Product Diversity:
Highly Diversified
Market Share:
10.8% top product
1Fruit, edible: durians, fresh
$4.18B
10.8% of exports
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 exports
3Units of automatic data processing machines: storage units
$2.14B
5.6% of exports
4Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542
$1.36B
3.5% of exports
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 exports
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 exports
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 exports
8Starch: manioc (cassava)
$970.63M
2.5% of exports
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 exports
10Ethylene polymers: in primary forms, ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers, having a specific gravity of less than 0.94
$798.49M
2.1% of exports

๐ŸŽฏ Strategic Export Focus

Thailand's export portfolio to China demonstrates strong diversification across multiple sectors, with fruit, edible: durians, fresh representing a key competitive advantage in this bilateral market.

China โ†’ Thailand Imports

$74.32B
2023 Total

Import Dependency Profile

Supply Diversity:
Well Diversified
Critical Imports:
4.2% concentration
1Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks
$3.10B
4.2% of imports
2Vehicles: with only electric motor for propulsion
$2.51B
3.4% of imports
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 imports
4Iron or steel: articles n.e.c. in heading 7326
$1.56B
2.1% of imports
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 imports
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 imports
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 imports
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 imports
9Circuits: printed
$826.84M
1.1% of imports
10Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542
$813.96M
1.1% of imports

๐Ÿ“ฆ Import Strategy Analysis

Thailand's import pattern from China reveals strategic sourcingin 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

Thailand demonstrates competitive strength in exportingfruit, edible: durians, fresh 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 $112.87B trade volume indicates substantial economic integration with room for expansion in emerging sectors.

Major Partnership

Executive Summary: Thailand-China Trade Relationship

Key Trade Highlights 2023

  • Total Trade Volume: $112.87 billionrepresenting a significant bilateral economic relationship
  • Trade Balance: Thailand maintains a deficit of $35.77 billion
  • Export Focus: Thailand's primary exports 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
  • Import Dependencies: Key imports from China 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

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 Thailand leveraging its comparative advantages in fruit, edible: durians, fresh.

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

Thailand's specialization in fruit, edible: durians, freshcomplements 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 $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 fruit, edible: durians, fresh 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

Thailand's trade deficit of $35.77 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 rubber: mixtures of natural and synthetic rubbers of heading no. 4001 and 4002, in primary forms or in plates, sheets or strip 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
Moderate concentration in key sectors requires monitoring
Market Competition
Global competition in fruit, edible: durians, fresh 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 Thailand and China represents a total trade volume of $112.87 billion in 2023. This partnership demonstrates an unfavorable trade balance for Thailand, with imports exceeding exportsby $35.77 billion.

Export Strengths

Thailand's exports to China total $38.55 billion, with competitive advantages in fruit, edible: durians, fresh, representing $4.18B or10.8% of bilateral exports.

Import Dependencies

Imports from China amount to $74.32 billion, highlighting economic interdependence in telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks, with Telephones for cellular networks or for other wireless networks comprising4.2% of total imports.

The trade relationship reflects broader economic patterns and comparative advantages. The trade deficit indicates Thailand'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 Thailand 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