Storyline European trade to China rises as US tariffs bite in 2025 In 2025, U.S. tariff policies reshaped the global trade map, with a visible rerouting of cargo through the world's major ports. At the port in Hamburg, Germany, container traffic to the U.S. fell sharply, while throughput to Asia rose against headwinds. Axel Mattern, board member, Hamburg Port Authority: "Indeed, we have also observed these shifts in logistics routes. In 2025, the Port of Hamburg's trade volume with the United States has dropped by nearly 24 percent. In stark contrast, however, cargo trade with Asia has seen significant growth. As a port operator, we naturally take note of this." China was Germany's largest trading partner in 2025, after narrowly overtaking the U.S. for a second year in a row, mirroring a broader trend: European companies adjusting their global footprints by looking toward China and Southeast Asia for new partnerships. David Pier, global head, end use energy storage, BYK: "We will continue to invest -- including in factory construction and lab expansions in China -- and view China as a major growth market, particularly in the battery sector." Chinese exports into Europe meanwhile are moving beyond traditional goods to high-tech products and equipment from emerging sectors. Yuan Wei, general manager, DeStar Freight, Germany: "In the past, much of our import business from China to Europe consisted of traditional goods like clothing and footwear. But over the last two years, we have observed a clear rise in imports of new products from high-tech and emerging technology companies." Together, China and the European Union represent over one-third of the world's economic output. Data from China's General Administration of Customs shows that China-EU bilateral trade totaled about 767 billion U.S. dollars in the first 11 months of 2025, cementing the EU's position as China's second-largest trading partner. Meanwhile, China's exports to the EU rose about 9 percent year-on-year, with growth led by key markets including Germany, Italy and France. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]