US goods imports from China reached $536.8 billion in 2022, yet the bilateral goods deficit still hit -$355.5 billion in 2021, putting the trade picture into sharp relief. That tension plays out across everyday categories, from 16% of US crude oil exports heading to China to more than a third of US commercial aircraft deliveries doing the same in 2019. We also track how tariffs and retaliation reshaped flows, including a 16.2% reduction in Chinese imports from the US due to tariffs by 2021.
Key Takeaways
- 16% of US crude oil exports went to China in 2021
- 1.7 million Chinese tourists visited the US in 2019
- 28.7% of US civilian aircraft exports went to China in 2021
- 1.3 billion USD was the value of US solar panel imports from China in 2020
- 8.6 billion USD was the value of US exports of semiconductors to China in 2021
- –$355.5 billion US bilateral goods deficit with China in 2021
- 4.3% of US GDP was the US-China trade deficit in 2021
- 536.8 billion USD was the value of US goods imports from China in 2022
- $12.1 billion US royalties and license fees from China in 2020
- $38.6 billion US foreign direct investment in China in 2020
- 49.7% decline in Chinese FDI in US from 2016 to 2021
- 39.2% of US tariff line items faced retaliatory duties from China by 2020
- 7.5% tariff on $300 billion of Chinese goods imposed by US in 2020
- $1.1 trillion value of US imports from China affected by Section 301 tariffs as of 2021
- 68% of US rare earths imports from China in 2020
Despite a huge US goods deficit, tariffs cut trade and China remains a major buyer of US energy and key exports.
Related reading
Trade Volume
116% of US crude oil exports went to China in 2021[1]
Verified
21.7 million Chinese tourists visited the US in 2019[2]
Directional
328.7% of US civilian aircraft exports went to China in 2021[3]
Verified
4$8.5 billion US cotton exports to China in 2021[4]
Single source
Sectoral Impact
11.3 billion USD was the value of US solar panel imports from China in 2020[5]
Verified
28.6 billion USD was the value of US exports of semiconductors to China in 2021[6]
Verified
Sectoral Impact Interpretation
The sectoral impact of US China trade reveals a stark imbalance, as the 8.6 billion dollars in US semiconductor exports to China in 2021 significantly outweighed the 1.3 billion dollars in Chinese solar panel imports to the US in 2020, pointing to American dominance in high value technology trade.
Trade Balance
1–$355.5 billion US bilateral goods deficit with China in 2021[7]
Directional
24.3% of US GDP was the US-China trade deficit in 2021[8]
Directional
3536.8 billion USD was the value of US goods imports from China in 2022[9]
Verified
Trade Balance Interpretation
The US trade deficit with China reached a staggering $355.5 billion in 2021, representing 4.3 percent of the entire US economy.
Investment & Finance
1$12.1 billion US royalties and license fees from China in 2020[10]
Verified
2$38.6 billion US foreign direct investment in China in 2020[11]
Verified
349.7% decline in Chinese FDI in US from 2016 to 2021[12]
Verified
415.7% of foreign-held US Treasury securities are owned by China[13]
Verified
5$235 billion US holdings of Chinese stocks and bonds in 2021[14]
Verified
61.2 trillion USD was the total value of US and Chinese holdings of each other's securities in 2021[15]
Verified
Investment & Finance Interpretation
While the United States and China held a combined 1.2 trillion dollars in each other's securities in 2021, Chinese foreign direct investment in America dropped 49.7 percent from 2016, underscoring a deepening asymmetry in the investment and finance ties.
More related reading
Tariffs & Policy
139.2% of US tariff line items faced retaliatory duties from China by 2020[16]
Verified
27.5% tariff on $300 billion of Chinese goods imposed by US in 2020[17]
Verified
3$1.1 trillion value of US imports from China affected by Section 301 tariffs as of 2021[18]
Verified
416.2% reduction in Chinese imports from US due to tariffs by 2021[19]
Verified
525% tariff was imposed by the US on $250 billion of Chinese imports in 2018-2019[20]
Verified
639.2% of US tariff line items faced retaliatory tariffs from China by 2020[21]
Verified
716.2% reduction in Chinese imports from the US due to tariffs by 2021[22]
Verified
8108 billion USD was the estimated cumulative loss to US companies from the trade war by 2020[23]
Verified
Tariffs & Policy Interpretation
The escalation of tariffs and retaliatory duties, with nearly 40 percent of US tariff lines hit by Chinese countermeasures by 2020, created a costly cycle that reduced Chinese imports from the US by over 16 percent and inflicted an estimated $108 billion in cumulative losses on American companies.
Sector Specific
168% of US rare earths imports from China in 2020[24]
Directional
234% of US antimony imports came from China in 2021[25]
Verified
312.6% of US medical equipment imports came from China in 2020[26]
Directional
455% of US furniture imports come from China[27]
Verified
534% of US commercial aircraft deliveries went to China in 2019[28]
Verified
Sector Specific Interpretation
The 68% share of US rare earths imports from China in 2020 underscores a critical sector specific vulnerability, as these materials are essential for high tech manufacturing and defense.
Sector Specific Trade
18.6 billion USD was the value of US semiconductor exports to China in 2022[29]
Verified
21.3 billion USD was the value of US solar panel imports from China in 2021[30]
Verified
312.6% of US medical equipment imports came from China in 2021[31]
Single source
455% of US furniture imports came from China in 2022[32]
Verified
Sector Specific Trade Interpretation
The most striking sector specific trend is that over half of all US furniture imports came from China in 2022, highlighting a deep reliance on Chinese manufacturing in that industry.
Commodities & Resources
134% of US antimony imports came from China in 2022[33]
Single source
216% of US crude oil exports went to China in 2022[34]
Single source
320.4% of US soybean exports went to China in 2022[35]
Single source
Commodities & Resources Interpretation
China supplied over a third of US antimony imports in 2022, underscoring a critical resource dependency within the commodities and resources trade relationship.
How We Rate Confidence
Models
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Single source
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Directional
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
Verified
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
Models
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Us-China Trade Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/us-china-trade-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Us-China Trade Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/us-china-trade-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Us-China Trade Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/us-china-trade-statistics.
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