The trade imbalance between Italy and China is worsening. The deficit in trade with Beijing reached -€24.1 billion in the first five months of 2025: a new all-time high. In the first five months of 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemics, Italy's trade deficit with China was -€7.7 billion. According to the latest detailed data, in the first five months of 2025, the trade balance with China was negative €3.8 billion for medicines, €3.7 billion for chemicals, €2.5 billion for computers and electronics, €2.2 billion for electrical appliances, €1.7 billion for metals and metal products, €1.6 billion for mechanics, €1.3 billion for textiles, clothing, leather goods and footwear, €1.2 billion for transport equipment, and €1 billion for rubber or plastic articles and nonmetallic mineral products, to name the main items. The problem, says economist Marco Fortis, will get worse if, with U.S. tariffs, Beijing pours its production surpluses cheaply into Europe and Italy.