What Is China’s Main Export to the US? 2025 Data, Top Categories, and How to Verify

You want the one-line answer you can trust and cite. Here it is: China’s main export to the United States is electronics-especially smartphones and computers-grouped under the customs chapter “HS 85: Electrical machinery and equipment.” Month to month, the single top item tends to flip between phones (HS 8517) and laptops/PCs (HS 8471). The broader HS 85 chapter stays on top.

Numbers shift, and headlines can be slippery. So below you’ll get a tight summary, how to verify the latest stats yourself, simple breakdowns you can remember, and a ready-made cheat sheet that works for school papers, newsroom fact checks, and boardroom slides. If you only keep one phrase in your head, make it this: China main export to US equals electronics (phones + computers) under HS 85.

TL;DR: China’s Main Export to the US in 2025

• Main export: Electronics under HS 85, led by smartphones (HS 8517) and computers (HS 8471).
• Scale: HS 85 typically accounts for about 35-40% of total US goods imports from China based on recent full-year data (2023) and remained the top bucket through 2024 into 2025.
• Rank nuance: By specific item, cell phones and laptops swap the #1 spot month to month; by chapter, HS 85 is consistently #1.
• How to confirm: Use US Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade data, USITC DataWeb, or UN Comtrade; check “country of origin: China,” last full calendar year, then latest YTD/monthly.
• Context: Tariffs, supply-chain shifts, and seasonal launches (e.g., back-to-school, holiday seasons, phone releases) can jolt monthly ranks, but electronics stay dominant.

What you likely want to do after clicking this page:

• Get a clean, citable answer you can put in a sentence.
• Understand what “main export” means in data terms (HS codes, categories).
• See a simple breakdown of the top product groups with ballpark shares.
• Verify the latest numbers yourself in a few clicks.
• Have a cheat sheet and a short FAQ to cover follow-up questions.

What Sits Behind That Headline Number

“Main export” sounds simple, but trade data is structured in layers. Two big choices decide what you call “#1”:

• How you group products (broad chapters vs. specific items).
• Which time slice you use (full year, year-to-date, or a single month).

Here’s the quick glossary you’ll see in official data:

• HS code: The Harmonized System, a global product coding method used by customs. HS 2-digit chapters are broad (e.g., HS 85 = electrical machinery). HS 4-digit positions are more specific (e.g., HS 8517 = phones and network gear; HS 8471 = computers).
• End-use or NAICS: Alternative US groupings you’ll also see in Census data. Helpful, but HS is the most universal way to compare globally.
• Imports from China: US data is reported by country of origin. Hong Kong and Macao are separate reporting territories; don’t mix them into “China” unless you intend to.

Why HS 85 is the clear #1: This chapter bundles smartphones, laptops, networking equipment, consumer electronics, and lots of components. Individually, smartphones (HS 8517) and computers (HS 8471) are massive lines. Add in routers, power supplies, and parts, and HS 85 towers over other chapters.

Recent scale check: In the 2023 US import data (full-year), HS 85 made up roughly the high-30s percent of total US goods imports from China. 2024 kept the same pattern, despite softening in some months and product shifting to Vietnam, India, and Mexico. In early-to-mid 2025, electronics are still the lead story, with phones and laptops trading the monthly crown as usual.

Primary sources to cite:

• US Census Bureau - Foreign Trade Division (monthly and annual goods trade by HS code and country).
• United States International Trade Commission (USITC) DataWeb (HS-level query tools for historical series).
• UN Comtrade (internationally comparable HS data).
• Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) notes on Section 301 tariffs and updates.

How to verify the current top export in minutes (step-by-step):

1. Start with the US Census Bureau’s latest monthly or year-to-date tables for “Imports for consumption” by country and HS chapter. Pick “China” as partner.
2. Pull the last full calendar year to anchor your statement (e.g., 2023), then check the latest monthly or YTD update for 2024/2025 to see if the ranking changed.
3. Drill from HS 2-digit to HS 4-digit to compare HS 8517 (phones/network gear) vs. HS 8471 (computers). Whichever is larger that month is the top specific item, but HS 85 will almost always be the top chapter.
4. Note whether the series is “customs value” (standard in US reporting). Don’t mix CIF (cost, insurance, freight) values from other sources unless you adjust.
5. When citing, name the source, time period, and level of aggregation (e.g., “US Census, 2023, HS chapter level”).

Heuristics that keep you out of trouble:

• Use the latest full year for a clean headline claim, then add “as of [month/year]” for fresher monthly color.
• When someone asks “what product,” show both the broad answer (HS 85) and the specific leaders (HS 8517 and HS 8471). That covers both ways the question is scored.
• Avoid mixing “exports” and “re-exports.” In US data, you’re looking at imports from China. If you switch to China’s own data (China Customs), you’ll be staring at their exports to the US. Both are valid but reported differently and on different valuations.
• Be careful with “China + Hong Kong.” Many analysts keep them separate in 2025 reporting.

Common pitfalls:

• Seasonality: Phone launches and back-to-school laptop cycles bump monthly ranks. A single month can be misleading.
• Transshipment: Goods assembled in Vietnam, India, or Mexico may contain a lot of Chinese parts but are counted under the final country of origin.
• Tariffs: Section 301 duties reshaped sourcing. Some electronics shifted, but HS 85 still dominates.
• Data lag: US monthly trade data usually posts with a 5-6 week delay. That’s normal.

Practical Breakdowns: Categories, Examples, and a Quick Cheat Sheet

Here’s a simple, defensible way to talk about the composition of US imports from China using HS chapters. Figures below are rounded ballparks based on recent patterns (2023 full-year with 2024/2025 continuity). Always verify the latest year in official tables if you need precise numbers.

Simple examples you can use in a sentence:

• “By chapter, the top US import from China is HS 85: electronics-phones, laptops, and their parts.”
• “By specific product line, phones (HS 8517) and laptops (HS 8471) tend to be the two biggest items; which one is #1 depends on the month.”
• “Together, HS 85 and HS 84 usually account for more than half of US goods imports from China.”

Cheat sheet (remember this on a sticky note):

• Code to know: HS 85 = electronics. HS 8517 = phones + network gear. HS 8471 = computers.
• Rule of thumb: 2 chapters (85 + 84) ≈ 55-60% of US imports from China in recent years.
• Quick sanity check: If phones or laptops aren’t near the top, you’re probably looking at the wrong month, category, or country filter.
• Time filter: Quote last full year for clean comparisons; add the latest YTD for freshness.

How to interpret shifts in 2025:

• China+1 sourcing: More laptops, accessories, and parts are showing up from Vietnam, India, and Mexico. Still, much of the design, components, and some final assembly remain tied to China, keeping HS 85 on top.
• Tariff environment: Section 301 duties continue to influence sourcing decisions. Rate tweaks can nudge marginal categories but haven’t dethroned electronics.
• Tech constraints: US export controls on advanced chips affect high-end semiconductors, not the bulk of consumer phones and laptops that dominate HS 85 import values.

Common misreads to avoid:

• “Isn’t apparel the main export?” Not in the US market. Apparel is meaningful, but electronics are far larger in value.
• “Aren’t EVs now the top item?” No. US tariffs on China-made EVs are high, and volumes into the US remain small compared to electronics.
• “Solar panels must be huge.” Solar (HS 8541) is significant globally, but US imports from China are constrained by tariffs and enforcement (including forced-labor laws). Many panels for the US come via Southeast Asia.

Questions People Ask, Plus Next Steps

Mini‑FAQ

• What exactly is China’s main export to the US?
  Electronics under HS 85-led by smartphones (HS 8517) and computers (HS 8471). By chapter, HS 85 is consistently #1. By specific item, phones and laptops swap places month to month.
• What share does HS 85 usually hold?
  About 35-40% of total US goods imports from China in recent full-year data. Always check the latest year and YTD for your citation.
• Which source should I cite?
  Name the US Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division for US imports by HS code. For deeper series, say “USITC DataWeb.” For cross-country comparisons, “UN Comtrade.”
• Do tariffs change the #1 category?
  Tariffs shift margins and suppliers, but they haven’t knocked electronics off the top. Furniture, toys, and apparel have moved around, yet HS 85 remains dominant.
• Is Hong Kong part of China in these numbers?
  No, it’s reported separately in US trade stats. If you add Hong Kong, state that you did.
• What about 2025-has anything flipped?
  Through 2024 into 2025, electronics remain on top. You may see month-to-month swaps between phones and laptops, but the broad picture hasn’t changed.
• Why do some tables show computers under HS 84 and others under HS 85?
  Because “computers” can be grouped different ways in certain summaries. Always look at the HS 4-digit codes: HS 8471 (computers) and HS 8517 (phones/network gear) are the anchors.
• Can I rely on company shipment reports instead of customs data?
  Company reports are useful color, but customs data (Census/USITC) is the official basis for trade values and rankings.

Next steps and quick playbooks

• Student writing a paper: Quote the one-line answer with HS codes and a date. Example: “According to US Census (2023, HS chapter level), the leading US import from China is HS 85: electronics, led by HS 8517 (phones) and HS 8471 (computers).” Add a one-sentence note on 2024/2025 monthly continuity and seasonal swings.
• Journalist on deadline: Pull the last full year from Census, add the latest month or YTD for freshness, and mention any notable seasonal spikes (phone launches, holiday quarters). Keep both chapter-level and item-level ranks in your copy.
• Procurement or ops manager: Check HS 8517 and HS 8471 trend lines across 12-24 months. Watch for concentration risk by supplier country and consider China+1 hedges. If the US adds or adjusts tariffs, run a quick landed-cost sensitivity.
• Investor or board reader: Look for divergence between chapter-level stability (HS 85) and item-level shifts (phones vs. laptops). Shifts toward Vietnam/Mexico/India hint at maturing China+1 strategies but don’t erase China’s share in near term.

Troubleshooting your data pull

• Your top category isn’t HS 85: Check if you filtered “country of origin: China” and selected the latest full year. Make sure you didn’t select “exports” instead of “imports.”
• Phones aren’t near the top: Verify the HS level (use HS 4-digit). Ensure you included HS 8517. If you’re looking at a month between product cycles, laptops (HS 8471) may be #1-try quarterly or annual.
• Your numbers don’t match another outlet: Confirm if they used CIF values or a different source (e.g., China Customs). Align the valuation basis and period.
• You see big changes in 2025: Make sure you’re not comparing a single month to a full year. Compare like with like: month vs. same month last year, or full year vs. full year.

Credibility note

For claims that influence decisions-like “what is the main export” or “what share does it hold”-name authoritative sources: the US Census Bureau’s Foreign Trade Division for US import values by HS code; the USITC DataWeb for programmatic queries and cross-checks; UN Comtrade for international comparisons; and USTR communications for tariff context. If you’re publishing, include the data period and the HS level (chapter vs. 4-digit) in your caption or footnote.

Bottom line for your citation: “China’s main export to the US is electronics (HS 85), led by smartphones (HS 8517) and computers (HS 8471). HS 85 typically makes up around the high-30s percent of US goods imports from China in recent full-year data. Source: US Census, last full year; confirmed by USITC DataWeb.”