Trade in services in China
China: Trade in services was 5.2% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Trade in services in China, 1982–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
The most recent figure for trade in services in China is 5.2%, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 10.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in services in China peaked at 10.0% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 1.8%, in 1985.
That places China 195th out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 44 years of available data.
Trade in services in China, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | 2.2% | — |
| 1983 | 1.9% | -12.3% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +12.5% |
| 1985 | 1.8% | -17.3% |
| 1986 | 2.0% | +12.6% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | +25.0% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +6.8% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -9.6% |
| 1990 | 2.8% | +15.5% |
| 1991 | 2.9% | +2.3% |
| 1992 | 4.4% | +51.0% |
| 1993 | 5.2% | +19.3% |
| 1994 | 5.8% | +11.6% |
| 1995 | 6.0% | +3.5% |
| 1996 | 5.0% | -17.2% |
| 1997 | 8.9% | +78.4% |
| 1998 | 8.6% | -2.6% |
| 1999 | 8.9% | +3.0% |
| 2000 | 9.4% | +5.6% |
| 2001 | 9.6% | +1.8% |
| 2002 | 10.0% | +4.5% |
| 2003 | 6.7% | -32.7% |
| 2004 | 7.7% | +14.0% |
| 2005 | 7.0% | -8.5% |
| 2006 | 7.0% | -0.4% |
| 2007 | 7.4% | +5.5% |
| 2008 | 6.9% | -6.3% |
| 2009 | 5.8% | -15.6% |
| 2010 | 6.0% | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 5.9% | -2.5% |
| 2012 | 5.6% | -4.9% |
| 2013 | 5.5% | -0.9% |
| 2014 | 6.1% | +10.7% |
| 2015 | 5.8% | -5.2% |
| 2016 | 5.7% | -2.0% |
| 2017 | 5.5% | -3.7% |
| 2018 | 5.4% | -1.8% |
| 2019 | 4.9% | -8.5% |
| 2020 | 3.9% | -20.4% |
| 2021 | 3.8% | -1.9% |
| 2022 | 4.0% | +4.1% |
| 2023 | 4.5% | +12.4% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | +12.8% |
| 2025 | 5.2% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.7% | 8 |
| 1990s | 5.8% | 2.8% | 8.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.7% | 5.8% | 10.0% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.6% | 4.9% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.4% | 3.8% | 5.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near China
- 192 Russian Federation 5.5% compare
- 193 Bolivia, Plurinational State of 5.3% compare
- 194 Pakistan 5.2% compare
- 196 Zimbabwe 5.1% compare
- 197 Bangladesh 5.1% compare
- 198 Algeria 5.0% compare
More economy & growth data for China
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 3.46 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.31 Percent per annum (2029)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2473 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current US$), per capita 3,429 current US$ per person (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per unit of GDP 1.78 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Manufacturing, value added (current LCU), per capita 24,652 current LCU per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), annual 2.01 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 0.3564 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current US$), per 4,941 current US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (current LCU), annual 1.91 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in services in China?
- Trade in services in China was 5.2% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest trade in services recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 10.0% in 2002.
- What is the lowest trade in services recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.8% in 1985.
- How does China rank for trade in services?
- China ranks 195th out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade in services rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Trade in services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total trade in services includes services provided by residents to non-residents plus services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.