El Salvador maintains trade imbalance with China
Photo: Unsplash.
Trade relations between El Salvador and the People’s Republic of China remain strongly asymmetric. According to data from the Central Reserve Bank (BCR), Salvadoran imports from China reached approximately USD 812 million between January and May 2025, while exports to the Asian country amounted to just USD 19 million.
This reflects a commercial dynamic in which El Salvador purchases far more goods from China than it exports. China is now El Salvador’s second-largest supplier after the United States, providing machinery, electronics, textiles, and manufactured products.
In contrast, Salvadoran exports to China are limited and mainly consist of traditional goods such as coffee, sugar, and some processed foods. Despite the political and economic rapprochement since the establishment of diplomatic ties in 2018, export diversification has been slow.
In 2023, both governments signed a trade agreement that has yet to come into effect. Once implemented, it may help ease the entry of Salvadoran products into the Chinese market. However, its success will depend on structural factors such as export capacity, compliance with China’s quality standards, and local production chain development.
Trade experts emphasize the need to strengthen the competitiveness of El Salvador’s export sector, especially when engaging with major global economies like China.
* Original text in Spanish. Translated by Large Language Model (LLM) technology.
Main Source:
El Salvador compra 42 veces más a China de lo que el país asiático lleva – El Salvador
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