Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP in China
China: Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP was 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP in China, 1977–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in current LCU per US$ of GDP.
Analysis
China recorded 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP for net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp in 2024.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 40.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp in China peaked at 3.83 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2008 and was at its lowest, -0.0145 current LCU per US$ of GDP, in 1980.
China ranks 105th of 186 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP in China, year by year
| Year | current LCU per US$ of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 0.0138 current LCU per US$ of GDP | — |
| 1978 | 0.0036 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -73.8% |
| 1979 | -0.0092 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -354.7% |
| 1980 | -0.0145 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +58.1% |
| 1981 | 0.0136 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -193.7% |
| 1982 | 0.0785 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +477.2% |
| 1983 | 0.1036 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +31.9% |
| 1984 | 0.1038 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.2% |
| 1985 | 0.1365 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +31.5% |
| 1986 | 0.1352 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 0.2404 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +77.8% |
| 1988 | 0.243 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 0.2552 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.0% |
| 1990 | 0.468 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +83.4% |
| 1991 | 0.6553 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +40.0% |
| 1992 | 0.6493 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.9% |
| 1993 | 0.4936 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -24.0% |
| 1994 | 0.8882 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +80.0% |
| 1995 | 0.861 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.1% |
| 1996 | 1.06 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +22.7% |
| 1997 | 1.41 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +33.4% |
| 1998 | 1.45 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +2.8% |
| 1999 | 1.54 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +6.4% |
| 2000 | 1.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +6.6% |
| 2001 | 1.95 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +18.6% |
| 2002 | 2.13 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +9.3% |
| 2003 | 2.24 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 2.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +24.5% |
| 2005 | 3.27 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +17.1% |
| 2006 | 3.61 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +10.6% |
| 2007 | 3.82 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +5.8% |
| 2008 | 3.83 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 3.77 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -1.7% |
| 2010 | 3.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.5% |
| 2011 | 3.27 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -10.1% |
| 2012 | 2.98 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -9.0% |
| 2013 | 2.88 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -3.3% |
| 2014 | 2.7 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -6.3% |
| 2015 | 2.48 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -7.9% |
| 2016 | 2.3 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -7.4% |
| 2017 | 2.02 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -12.3% |
| 2018 | 1.8 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -10.5% |
| 2019 | 1.81 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 1.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -1.1% |
| 2021 | 1.54 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -14.3% |
| 2022 | 1.56 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +1.5% |
| 2023 | 1.58 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +1.5% |
| 2024 | 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP | +2.0% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP is below the median for upper middle income countries, which is 2.6 current LCU per US$ of GDP, 62% of the median. (55 countries reporting)
- China's 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP is below the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 2.93 current LCU per US$ of GDP, 55% of the median. (26 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP in China changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | +477.2% | 0.0136 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.0785 current LCU per US$ of GDP |
| 1979 | -354.7% | 0.0036 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.0092 current LCU per US$ of GDP |
| 1981 | +193.7% | -0.0145 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.0136 current LCU per US$ of GDP |
| 1990 | +83.4% | 0.2552 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.468 current LCU per US$ of GDP |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 0.0027 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.0092 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.0138 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 3 |
| 1980s | 0.1295 current LCU per US$ of GDP | -0.0145 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.2552 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.9468 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 0.468 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.54 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.9 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 3.83 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.59 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.8 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 3.64 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.54 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 1.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
- 102 Eswatini 2.09 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 103 Grenada 1.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 104 Guatemala 1.79 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 106 Dominica 1.45 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 107 Israel 1.45 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
- 108 Saint Kitts and Nevis 1.42 current LCU per US$ of GDP compare
More financial sector data for China
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 14.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 7.95 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 9.09 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0004 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 5.8 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 14.56 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 7.95 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 9.09 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp in China?
- Net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp in China was 1.62 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.83 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 2008.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.0145 current LCU per US$ of GDP in 1980.
- How does China rank for net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp?
- China ranks 105th out of 186 countries with data for 2024.
- Is net foreign assets (current lcu), per unit of gdp rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is down 40.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU), per unit of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Net foreign assets (current LCU) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Net foreign assets (current LCU) ÷ GDP (current US$)
Computed from
- Net foreign assets International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF)
- GDP Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Net foreign assets (current LCU) divided by GDP (current US$), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.