China: Price Movements of Top Imports and Other
Highlights
2016
www.bls.gov/mxp
Imports from China exceeded $481.9 billion in
2015, ranking China as first among U.S. import
trade partners. Chinese imports accounted for
over 21.5 percent of total U.S. imports in 2015.
The price index for imports from China declined
1.7 percent between December 2014 and
December 2015.
Top Five U.S. Import Trade Partners by Trade Dollar-Value, 2015

Billions of dollars
$600
$500
$481.9
$400
$295.2
$300
$294.7

$200
$131.1
$124.1
$100

$0
China
Canada
Mexico
Japan
Germany
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics.
Canada, the largest U.S. import
trade partner before 2007, ranked
second in 2015. The trade value of
imports from Canada has declined
6.9 percent over the past 8 years
from $317.1 billion in 2007 to
$295.2 billion in 2015.
Mexico ranked third as the top
U.S. importer in 2015 with $294.7
billion, accounting for 13.1 percent
of total trade value.
Over the past 10 years, the dollar
value of imports from China
jumped
approximately
97.9
percent.
U.S. Import Price Indexes: China



Prices for imports from China
decreased 1.7 percent for the year
ended in December 2015 while prices
for all U.S. imports of manufactured
articles declined 4.6 percent during
the same period.
The price index for imports from
China dropped 0.5 percent during the
last quarter of 2015.
The slowdown in the Chinese
economy continued to pull prices
down on an annual basis.
Index value, December 2012 = 100
101
100
99
98
97
96
95
Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec Feb Apr Jun Aug Oct Dec
2015
2013
2014
Imports from China
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, International Price Program.
All imports excluding fuels
Import/Export Price Indexes (MXP) and China Highlights
www.bls.gov/mxp
Top Six Imports from China by Trade Dollar-Value, 2015

Computer and electronic product
manufacturing was the largest import
industry from China in 2015 with $170.2
billion, accounting for 35.3 percent of all
imports from China.

In contrast, electrical equipment,
appliances, and components imports, the
second largest industry from China, only
accounted for 8.7 percent of all Chinese
imports with $41.8 billion.

Import miscellaneous manufacturing
made up approximately 8.3 percent of
imports from China, ranking third.
Billions of dollars
$180
$170.2
$160
$140
$120
$100
$80
$60
$41.8
$40.0
$40
$33.4
$30.6
$24.3
$20
$0
Computer and
Electrical
Miscellaneous
Electronic
Equipment, Manufactured
Products
Appliances and Commodities
Components
Apparel and
Accessories
Nonelectrical
Leather and
Machinery Allied Products
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Foreign Trade Statistics.
U.S. Import Price Indexes: Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing from China

Index value, December 2014=100
101
100
99

98
97
Dec 2014
Feb 2015
Apr 2015
Jun 2015
Aug 2015
Oct 2015
Dec 2015

Import computer and electronic products from China
Overall import computer and electronic products
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics International Price Program.
Import prices from China for
computer and electronic products
declined 0.5 percent for the 3 months
ended in December 2015, while prices
for overall U.S. computer and
electronic imports decreased 0.4
percent for the same period.
For the year ended in December
2015, import prices from China for
this industry fell 2.2 percent.
The overall downward trend was
largely due to intense competition
and rapid innovation within the
industry.
U.S. Import Price Indexes: Electrical Equipment, Appliances, and Components Manufacturing from China


Import prices for electrical equipment,
appliances, and components from
China fell 0.6 percent during the final
quarter of 2015, while overall electrical
equipment import prices decreased 0.9
percent during the same period.
Electrical equipment, appliances, and
components import prices from China
declined 1.8 percent for the year end
in December 2015.
Index value, December 2014=100
101
100
99
98
97
Dec 2014
Feb 2015
Apr 2015
Jun 2015
Import electrical equipment from China
Aug 2015
Oct 2015
Dec 2015
Overall import electrical equipment
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics International Price Program.
Import/Export Price Indexes (MXP) • [email protected] • www.bls.gov/mxp • 202-691-7101