Germany says China is again country's No. 1 trading partner, after US had top spot in 2024

Germany is providing data that appears to show China is again the European country's largest trading partner, overtaking the U.S., which had the top spot last year.

The change is based on data from Germany's statistics office from the first eight months of this year. 

The United States was Germany’s No. 1 trading partner in 2024, ending an eight-year streak for China, according to Reuters. Germany tried to reduce its dependency on China, in part over concerns about Beijing's trade practices. 

However, the return of President Trump and his renewed tariff campaign appeared to have limited the United States' trade alliance with Germany, the wire service also reports.