China overtakes US as No. 1 trading in goods country

[Fu Lai]

I was wondering when the last time the USA was not #1 in this category.

 

 

02-12-2013 10:40 BJT
http://english.cntv.cn/program/bizasia/20130212/101718.shtml

China surpassed the United States to become the world’s biggest trading country last year, measured by the sum of exports and imports of goods, latest official figures from both countries show.

China, the world number 2 economy, has been playing an increasingly crucial role in the global trade arena over recent years.

Data shows that China’s trade in goods amounted to around 3.9 trillion U.S. dollars in 2012, while the U.S.’ exports and imports of goods last year totalled 3.8 trillion U.S. dollars. This is the first time that China overtook the U.S. as the world’s top trading country.

China’s Ministry of Commerce says the rise comes on the back of exporters hurrying their shipments before a waiver of inspection fees expires at the end of February.

Meanwhile, experts predict that the gap between the two will widen over the coming years, as China is strengthening trade links with other Asian and African countries. They add that many European countries are also likely to engage in more individual trade with China.

However, some analysts are pouring cold water on the figures saying that if services trade figures are included, the U.S. does more trade than China.China has been the world’s top exporter since 2009, while the U.S. remained the world’s biggest importer in 2012.

The U.S. last week released its 2012 international trade figures, showing that while the overall trade deficit shrank to around 540 billion US dollars, it grew with China during the past year.

 

[NUWORLD]

Maybe this will help you understand.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-09/china-passes-u-s-to-become-the-world-s-biggest-trading-nation.html

[Dennis143]

Who really cares what "number" we place? None of those measures are going to change my life... I don't think...

[Fu Lai]

I asked when the last time USA was not #1 in this category.

China overtakes US as No. 1 trading in goods country

is simple to understand. BTW, Bloomberg is blocked by the GFW.

 

Maybe this will help you understand.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-09/china-passes-u-s-to-become-the-world-s-biggest-trading-nation.html

[NUWORLD]

 

I asked when the last time USA was not #1 in this category.

China overtakes US as No. 1 trading in goods country

is simple to understand. BTW, Bloomberg is blocked by the GFW.

 

Maybe this will help you understand.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-09/china-passes-u-s-to-become-the-world-s-biggest-trading-nation.html

 

I understand the question just fine.

To bad your blocked by the wall for it would have helped you UNDERSTAND your own question.

 

Plus, I agree with Dennis.

 

 

Who really cares what "number" we place? None of those measures are going to change my life

Edited February 13, 2013 by NUWORLD (see edit history)

[Fu Lai]

I just could not find a year by year ranking. Guess nobody else did either. Oh well.

 

 

 

I asked when the last time USA was not #1 in this category.

China overtakes US as No. 1 trading in goods country

is simple to understand. BTW, Bloomberg is blocked by the GFW.

 

Maybe this will help you understand.

 

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-02-09/china-passes-u-s-to-become-the-world-s-biggest-trading-nation.html

 

I understand the question just fine.

[Randy W]

Correction from Xinhua -

China's foreign trade still smaller than US: MOC

 

 

China's combined export and import volume in 2012 still ranked behind that of the United States when using the same method to measure, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Wednesday.

 

 

[Fu Lai]

LOL! Found the year by year WTO stats though... http://www.wto.org

Edited February 14, 2013 by Fu Lai (see edit history)