Trade route overview

Democratic Republic of the Congo exports to China
route risk review

See the latest reported exports, the products that need a closer look, and the conditions that may make this route harder to plan.

COD-CHN2024 reported exports22 product typesWatch review level
Latest reported exports$19.6B2024 route total
Highest-priority products1Need the closest review
Products needing review10High-attention product types
Exports needing review27.3%Share of route exports
Overall review levelWatchBased on available indicators

What this page shows

What should a business review on this route?

In 2024, Democratic Republic of the Congo reported $19.6B in goods exports to China. 10 product types are marked for closer review, covering 27.3% of reported exports. This is not a forecast and does not mean trade will stop. It shows where to look more closely at demand, annual changes, product mix, tariffs, and buyer-market conditions.

How to read this page

Three simple ideas explain the route

This page separates the size of the trade from the conditions worth checking and the product types that make up the route.

01 - Trade value

How much is traded?

This is the reported value of goods exported from Democratic Republic of the Congo to China in the latest available year.

$19.6B in 2024
02 - Review level

What does "high attention" mean?

It marks product types where one or more conditions deserve a closer look. It is not a prediction, a guaranteed loss, or a warning that trade will stop.

27.3% needs review
03 - Product code

What is a product type?

Each row is one HS6 product code. HS6 is the international six-digit code used to describe and compare traded goods.

22 product types

Start with the products

See the product rows behind the review level.

Compare the products, their buyer-market size, and the conditions that deserve a closer look.

Export history

How much was exported each year?

The latest twelve years of reported exports from Democratic Republic of the Congo to China. Bar lengths are relative to the highest year shown.

Latest annual total$19.8B2024 annual history
Highest year$19.8B2024 annual history
Latest below highest0%Difference from the highest year

Why this route needs review

What is behind the review signal?

A dollar amount can appear in more than one row. These rows show the conditions linked to the route; they are not separate losses.

What to reviewBar shows relative sizeExport value linked to it
Large year-to-year swings
$18.7B
Still below the previous high
$53.8M
Buyer demand is falling
$0.0
Product mix is concentrated
$6.2B
Tariffs and access rules
$0.0
Buyer economy is under pressure
$0.0

How to read the numbers

What do these measures tell us?

These measures describe yearly swings, the gap from the route's highest year, and how concentrated the product mix is.

Export volatility1.4Higher means bigger yearly swings
Below highest year9.5%Compared with the route's best year
Product concentration (HHI)3,511.90-10,000 scale; higher means fewer products dominate
Largest product share55.1%Share from the biggest product

Largest product

Copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodes

Product code HS6 740311 makes up 55.1% of exports from Democratic Republic of the Congo to China. The main reason to review it is: Trade has varied substantially across reported years

See product rows
Exports of this product$10.8B2024 reported value

Products to review

Which product types need a closer look?

Each row is one six-digit HS6 product code. Compare the buyer market's imports, the product's fall from its highest year, annual variation, and review level.

Top product types10 shown - 2024 values
Top product types for Democratic Republic of the Congo exports to China
RankProduct and codeBuyer-market importsBelow product highYearly variationReview level
1Copper: refined, unwrought, cathodes and sections of cathodesHS6 740311 - six-digit product code$30.3B0%1.4Watch
2Cobalt: mattes and other intermediate products of cobalt metallurgy, unwrought cobalt, powdersHS6 810520 - six-digit product code$3.1B46.6%1.4High attention
3Cobalt oxides and hydroxides: commercial cobalt oxidesHS6 282200 - six-digit product code$2.4B0%1.4High attention
4Copper ores and concentratesHS6 260300 - six-digit product code$62.6B8.9%1.7Watch
5Copper: unrefined, copper anodes for electrolytic refiningHS6 740200 - six-digit product code$6.8B32.8%0.9Watch
6Copper: refined, unwrought, n.e.c. in item no. 7403.1HS6 740319 - six-digit product code$2.6B0%1.2Watch
7Tin ores and concentratesHS6 260900 - six-digit product code$1.3B0%1.6Watch
8Wood, tropical: (as specified in subheading note 1, chapter 44, customs tariff), n.e.s. in item no. 4403.41, in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared, untreatedHS6 440349 - six-digit product code$830.0M52.8%1.2High attention
9Niobium, tantalum, vanadium ores and concentratesHS6 261590 - six-digit product code$219.6M26.5%0.9Stable
10Copper mattes: cement copper (precipitated copper)HS6 740100 - six-digit product code$217.1M4.6%0.7Stable

Buyer-market imports are total imports of that product into the buyer market, not only exports from Democratic Republic of the Congo. "Below product high" compares current exports with that product's highest reported year. Yearly variation is a calculated measure. Swipe sideways on a small screen to see every column.

Trade route conditions

What else can affect this route?

Distance, tariffs, trade agreements, the buyer economy, and business rules add context to the export total.

Distance between markets0 kmApproximate route distance
Trade agreement (FTA)Not reportedReported agreement coverage
Average import tariff0%Average tax applied to imports
Buyer economy size$0.02024 gross domestic product
Buyer GDP per person$0.0Current-dollar measure
Buyer economy outlookResilientAvailable buyer-economy context
Shared land borderNoDo the markets share a border?
Shared official languageNoReported common official language
Similar legal systemNoReported legal similarity
Shared religionNoReported cultural similarity
Language similarityNot reportedCommon spoken-language score
Business setup time0 daysDays to register a business

Questions about this page

Simple answers about this route

Definitions and limits for the figures above.

What does "high attention" mean?

High attention means one or more conditions on these product types deserve a closer look. It is not a prediction that trade will stop or that a loss is certain.

How much did Democratic Republic of the Congo export to China?

Democratic Republic of the Congo reported $19.6B in goods exports to China in 2024.

What does "exports needing review" mean?

27.3% of reported route exports are linked to product types marked for closer review. This points to where to investigate further.

What is an HS6 code?

An HS6 code is the international six-digit code used to describe and compare traded goods.

What conditions are shown?

The page shows yearly export changes, product concentration, tariffs, distance, trade-agreement coverage, buyer-economy context, and business setup time where reported.

Is this a forecast?

No. These are reported or calculated observations, not forecasts or guarantees.

Continue your research

Compare this route with products and markets.

Use the workspace to investigate which products, buyer conditions, and routes deserve attention.

Data source

OECD trade statistics with CEPII context

OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-29). OECD BIMTS is the primary trade series for this view. Supporting bilateral trade context uses CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601) under Etalab 2.0 Open Licence. Yugalinks presents derived views of reported observations and calculated indicators. Data terms: OECD Terms & Conditions.