This article is a part of Poland Unpacked. Weekly intelligence for decision-makers
Interactive chart Statistics Poland (GUS) has released the latest foreign trade data. Between January and May 2026, Poland’s merchandise exports reached EUR 157.6 billion, up 3.4% year on year. Merchandise imports totaled EUR 160.6 billion, an increase of 3.3% year on year. As a result, Poland recorded a modest trade deficit of EUR 2.9 billion. In practice, this points to a broadly balanced trade position.
This is very encouraging news, especially given the sharp rise in energy commodity prices over recent months. The fact that Poland has managed to maintain a broadly balanced trade account despite these higher costs underscores the resilience of its economy. Much of the credit goes to the country’s highly diversified industrial base.
Asia’s economic engine
One of the most striking trends in Poland’s foreign trade data in recent years has been the rapid growth of imports from China. The pace remains strong. In the first five months of 2026, the value of goods imported from China increased by 8.2% year on year, measured in euro terms. Not long ago, the growth rate was still in double digits.
Viewed over a longer horizon, the combined value of imports from China and Vietnam – the latter serving to some extent as part of China’s manufacturing base – is approaching the level of imports from Germany. Over the past 12 months, Poland imported goods worth EUR 67 billion from China and Vietnam, compared with EUR 71.4 billion from Germany.
This is particularly noteworthy because Germany remains Poland’s largest source of imports, accounting for around 20% of the country’s total import value.
Compared with 2019, imports from China and Vietnam have more than doubled, while imports from Germany have increased by less than 40%.
...or a steamroller?
China’s export surge in Poland is being driven by a wide range of product categories, including electronics, machinery, and clothing. But one category stands out: cars.
Interactive chart For one thing, the global automotive industry has long been dominated by advanced economies – the EU, the United States, Japan, and South Korea. For another, Poland imported virtually no cars from China until just a few years ago.
The chart above illustrates the scale of the shift. In 2019, Poland imported cars from China worth just EUR 40 million. Over the 12 months from June 2025 to May 2026, that figure reached EUR 1.74 billion – an increase of more than fortyfold.
The value of car imports from China has now climbed to roughly 40% of the value of car imports from Germany. The gap remains substantial, however, and German-made vehicles continue to hold their ground in the Polish market. The value of car imports from Germany is more than 60% higher than in 2019, while over the past 12 months alone it has increased by nearly 10%.
One explanation may be that Germany primarily exports premium vehicles, whereas Chinese-made cars compete largely in the more affordable segments of the market. In addition, some of the Chinese vehicles imported into Poland may subsequently be re-exported to other EU countries. Even so, China’s industrial juggernaut shows little sign of slowing. The coming years may see manufacturers in an ever-wider range of industries coming under growing competitive pressure.