BAKU, Azerbaijan, August 10. Germany
topped Türkiye's export destinations at $11.2 billion in H1 2026
while China led imports at $26.3 billion, TÜİK data shows.


In H1 2026, Germany ($11.2 billion), the United States
($8.5 billion), the United Kingdom ($8.0 billion), Italy ($7.2
billion), and France ($5.7 billion) accounted for 29.9% of total
Turkish exports, which Trend's calculations place at approximately $136.2
billion.


On the import side, China ($26.3 billion), Russia
($20.9 billion), Germany ($13.5 billion), the United States ($9.6
billion), and Switzerland ($7.4 billion) made up 41.1% of total
imports, implied at approximately $189.1 billion. The trade deficit
for H1 2026 stood at approximately $53 billion, with exports
covering 72% of imports.


In June specifically, Germany led exports at $2.0
billion, followed by the United States ($1.5 billion), Italy ($1.4
billion), the United Kingdom ($1.3 billion), and Spain ($1.1
billion) - 29% of the June total. China led June imports at $5.3
billion, followed by Russia ($3.7 billion), Germany ($2.5 billion),
the United States ($1.9 billion), and Italy ($1.4 billion) - 41.6%
of the June total.


Trend's
analysis shows that China's import dominance is the most
structurally significant finding in the data. At $26.3 billion in
H1, Chinese imports are annualizing toward $53 billion - well above
Russia's $20.9 billion and 2.3 times Germany's $13.5 billion.
China's share of Turkish imports (13.9% in H1) has been growing
steadily, driven by electronics, machinery, EVs, and consumer
goods. The $5.3 billion in Chinese imports in June alone exceeds
Germany's $2.5 billion by 2.1 times - a ratio that reflects China's
role as Türkiye's dominant supplier of manufactured goods rather
than a supplier of any single category.







Critically, Türkiye did not follow the European
Union's 45% additional tariff on Chinese electric vehicles
announced in 2024. As EU, US, and other markets erected tariff
barriers, Türkiye's relatively open market has made it an
increasingly attractive destination for Chinese EV exports - and
potentially a re-export base for Chinese goods seeking access to
European markets via Turkish free trade agreements.


Russia's $20.9 billion in H1 imports - annualizing to
approximately $41.8 billion - remains dominated by natural gas and
oil. Türkiye imports roughly 26–27 billion cubic meters of Russian
gas annually via TurkStream and Blue Stream, and Russian crude oil
has supplied a growing share of Türkiye's refinery inputs since
European buyers reduced Russian oil purchases post-2022. The
persistence of Russian energy imports at this scale reflects
Türkiye's strategic decision to maintain commercial relations with
Moscow.


The export partner picture reveals a different
structure: the top five export markets cover only 29.9% of total
exports - 11 percentage points less concentrated than the import
side's 41.1%. This means Turkish exports are substantially more
diversified geographically than its imports. The US bilateral data
is notable: Türkiye's exports more to the US ($8.5 billion H1) than
it imports ($9.6 billion), running a near-balanced position with
Washington - in contrast to large deficits with China and Russia.
Spain appearing in the June export top five but not the H1 top five
reflects seasonal demand: Spain is one of Türkiye's largest summer
tourism source markets and a major buyer of Turkish fresh produce
and textiles in the summer months, generating a June-concentrated
export spike that dilutes across the annual average.