[Hong Kong Economy] WTO Report: Hong Kong 2025 will rise to the world's fifth-largest trading economy, with merchandise trade accounting for 3% of global trade

The government cites a report from the World Trade Organization (WTO), titled Global Trade Outlook and Statistics. In 2025, Hong Kong rose to become the world’s fifth-largest merchandise trading economy, moving up two places from the previous year. Total merchandise trade increased by 17.5% year over year to US$1.585 trillion (about HK$1.236 trillion), accounting for 3% of the global total.

The report shows that last year Hong Kong was the world’s fifth-largest merchandise trading economy, ranking fifth in merchandise exports and sixth in merchandise imports—both up three places from 2024.

Globally, the top ten merchandise trading economies in 2025 are broadly the same as in 2024. Mainland China, the United States, Germany, and the Netherlands still occupy the top four positions. Hong Kong climbed two places to fifth, followed by the United Kingdom, Japan, France, Italy, and Mexico respectively.

The report also mentioned that Hong Kong was the 22nd-largest economy globally in 2025 for trade in commercial services; its commercial services exports ranked 23rd, while commercial services imports ranked 25th—both unchanged from 2024. Total trade in commercial services was US$211 billion, up 6.6% year over year, accounting for 1.2% of the global total.

Last year, Hong Kong was the 22nd-largest economy globally for trade in commercial services; commercial services exports ranked 23rd, and commercial services imports ranked 25th—each unchanged year over year. Total trade in commercial services was US$15.85k, accounting for 1.2% of the global total, up 6.6% from 2024.

Qiu Yinghua: Hong Kong’s external trade demonstrates strong resilience

Qiu Yinghua, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, said the report fully demonstrates that over the past year, despite all the challenges brought by geopolitical tensions and trade protectionism, Hong Kong’s external trade has shown strong resilience, and the results are encouraging.

He added that Hong Kong has long pursued free trade, firmly supports and upholds a rules-based multilateral trading system, and provides trade partners with a market that is predictable and transparent. In addition, Hong Kong gives full play to the institutional advantages under “One Country, Two Systems,” and its highly internationalized business environment, becoming one of the region’s most important and flexible gateways for commercial and trade exchanges.

The government will continue to do its utmost to promote trade, focusing on strengthening support for Mainland enterprises to go global via Hong Kong as a platform, identifying new sources of economic growth, and fulfilling Hong Kong’s role as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder.”

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