The United States is rapidly shifting away from imports from China, marking one of the most significant changes in global trade in recent years. New data released by the United States Department of Commerce shows that Chinese goods accounted for less than 10 percent of total U.S. imports in 2025, a sharp drop from 13.4 percent in 2024 and far below the levels seen a decade ago.
The decline comes largely as a result of sweeping tariffs introduced under U.S. President Donald Trump, which dramatically altered supply chains and forced companies to look for alternative manufacturing hubs. U.S. imports from China fell to $308 billion in 2025, their lowest level since 2009 and more than 42 percent below the record high recorded in 2018.
Trade analysts note that the tariffs — which at times pushed effective duties on Chinese goods to around 30.9 percent — accelerated a shift that had already begun as companies sought to reduce reliance on a single manufacturing base.
At the same time, several other countries have benefited from the change in U.S. trade patterns. Manufacturing exports to the United States have surged in Vietnam, India, Mexico, and Taiwan, which are increasingly filling the gap left by declining Chinese shipments.
Some of the largest shifts have been recorded in electronics and technology products, sectors that traditionally dominated U.S.–China trade. Imports of phones and related equipment from China have dropped sharply, with China’s share of the U.S. phone import market falling to about 21 percent in 2025, down from 65 percent in 2018. During the same period, India significantly increased its smartphone exports, capturing a major portion of the U.S. market.
A similar trend is visible in the computer sector. China’s share of U.S. imports of computers and accessories plunged from 26 percent in 2024 to just 4 percent in 2025, as imports from Taiwan, Mexico, Vietnam, and Thailand surged.
Other sectors have also seen noticeable declines in Chinese market share. Imports of toys, clothing, furniture, plastics, and consumer electronics from China all fell in 2025, reflecting the broader shift in supply chains. Even in pharmaceuticals — where China remains a supplier — its share of U.S. imports dropped to less than 3 percent.
Despite the decline, analysts caution that some products may still originate in China but be routed through other countries, a practice known as transshipment, which U.S. authorities say they are monitoring more closely.
Overall, the data suggests that global trade is undergoing a structural transformation, with the United States diversifying its supply chains and reducing dependence on Chinese manufacturing — a change that could have lasting economic and geopolitical consequences.
