China-Russia Trade Falls 6.5% in 2025, Marking First Decline in Five Years
China-Russia trade fell by 6.5% in 2025, totaling 1.63 trillion yuan, marking the first decline in five years. The drop was driven by reduced demand for Chinese vehicles in Russia and falling crude oil prices.
Insights:
In 2025, bilateral trade between China 
CNand Russia 
RU experienced a notable decline, falling 6.5% to 1.63 trillion yuan ($234 billion), according to data released by China's General Administration of Customs. This marks the first year-on-year decrease in five years, ending a period of steady growth that had positioned China as Russia's primary economic partner following the imposition of international sanctions in 2022.
CNand Russia RU experienced a notable decline, falling 6.5% to 1.63 trillion yuan ($234 billion), according to data released by China's General Administration of Customs. This marks the first year-on-year decrease in five years, ending a period of steady growth that had positioned China as Russia's primary economic partner following the imposition of international sanctions in 2022.The decline was largely attributed to a significant drop in demand for Chinese vehicles in Russia, with exports plummeting 46% in volume terms from January to November 2025. This downturn was exacerbated by Russia's decision to increase tariffs on Chinese cars, a move that has strained the automotive trade between the two nations. Additionally, the value of Chinese crude oil imports from Russia fell 19.6% in the first eleven months of the year, amid a global slump in oil prices. Notably, both Crude Oil WTI and Brent Crude Oil have seen price declines, affecting the trade dynamics between these two major economies.
