The EU exported food and beverage products worth €1.963bn to China in the first six months of 2012, compared to €1.298bn-worth from January to June last year. Food and beverage imports from China to the EU were worth €2.115bn, leaving a trade deficit of €152m for the first half of 2012, compared to €2.224bn and a trade deficit of €926m for the prior year period.
The climb in food and beverage exports is part of a steep rise in the value of overall goods exported to China over the past decade, from €26bn in 2000 to €136bn in 2011. However, Germany is the only member state with a trade surplus to China.
