Germany’s Export Growth on Strong Trade With China

German exports grew in December as strong trade with China and the United States helped Europe’s largest economy as it struggled to grow under lockdown restrictions imposed to curb COVID-19 cases.

The Federal Statistics Office said on Tuesday that exports, adjusted for seasonal factors, rose 0.1% month-on-month after a 2.3% increase in November. Imports fell 0.1%, after increasing 5.4% in the previous month.

The trade surplus increased to 16.1 billion euros. But in 2020 as a whole, the surplus declined for the fourth year in a row.

On an annual basis, the office said, exports to China in December increased 11.6% and to the United States by 8.4%. However, trade data was different with Britain.

Exports to the United Kingdom decreased by 3.3% in December, as did imports from the United Kingdom by 11.4%.