China Steel Association: China's cumulative imports of 2.696 million tons of steel in the first half of the year decreased by 11.3% year-on-year
The Zhitong Finance App learned that the China Iron and Steel Association released a monthly report on the import and export of steel products for June. In June, China exported 10.32 million tons of steel, down 0.2% from the previous month; the average export price was 710.8 US dollars/ton, up 1.9% from the previous month. From January to June, China exported a total of 54.874 million tons of steel, a year-on-year decrease of 5.6%; the average export price was 701.1 US dollars/ton, a slight increase of 0.3% over the previous year. In June, China imported 441,000 tons of steel, down 2.2% from the previous month; the average import price was 1925.8 US dollars/ton, up 14.1% from the previous month. From January to June, China imported a total of 2.696 million tons of steel, a year-on-year decrease of 11.3%; the average import price was 1796.4 US dollars/ton, up 5.3% year-on-year.
Table 1. China's steel import and export situation in June 2026
Units: 10,000 tons, 10,000 US dollars per ton
In June 2026, China exported 2.881 million tons of primary products (steel billets, pig iron, direct reduced iron and recycled steel raw materials), an increase of 58.2% over the previous month; the average export price was 477.2 US dollars/ton, up 3.5% from the previous month. From January to June, China exported a total of 9.638 million tons of primary products, up 63.1% year on year; the average export price was 459.8 US dollars/ton, up 1.6% year on year. In June, China imported 372,000 tons of primary products, up 4.5% from the previous month; the average import price was 484.0 US dollars/ton, up 26.4% from the previous month. From January to June, China imported a total of 1.659 million tons of primary products, up 75.1% year on year; the average import price was 514.0 US dollars/ton, down 37.7% year on year.
Table 2. Import and export of primary products in China in June 2026
Units: 10,000 tons, 10,000 US dollars per ton
Status of steel products
In June 2026, China's monthly steel exports stabilized at the 10 million ton mark for the second month in a row, with a slight month-on-month decline and year-on-year increase for the first time; exports of cold rolled thin and wide steel strips, steel bars, medium plates and other categories increased significantly. Looking at the subregions, steel exports to GCC and African Union countries increased month-on-month, while exports to ASEAN and the European Union declined somewhat.
1. Situation by variety
Table 3 Export volume of 22 major steel products in June 2026
Table 4 Average export prices for 22 major steel categories in June 2026
Table 5 Billet export volume and price situation in June 2026
In June, the export volume of 11 of the 22 major steel varieties achieved month-on-month growth, with a total of 11 categories with a monthly export volume of 500,000 tons or more. Among the varieties that have increased in exports, exports of hot-rolled sheets, cold-rolled thin and wide steel strips, and steel bars all increased by more than 25% month-on-month, while exports of medium and extra-thick plates all increased by more than 15% month-on-month. The falling categories were clearly under pressure, with varieties such as coated plates, large steel bars, thick steel plates, and electrical steel plates (strips) all falling by more than 10% month-on-month. From January to June, coated sheets (strips) were still the variety with the largest cumulative export volume, accounting for 18.3% of total steel exports; of the 22 types, only 6 types of wire, steel bars, cold-rolled thin and wide steel strips, large steel, small to medium sized steel, and extra thick plates achieved year-on-year growth; the cumulative export volume of medium thick and wide steel belts still declined by more than 30% year on year. In June, the export unit price of the five types fell month-on-month, with electrical steel sheets (strips) falling 9.9% and 24.0% month-on-month, respectively; the export unit price of hot-rolled narrow steel strips rose 12.6% month-on-month. From January to June, export unit prices for a total of 9 varieties fell year-on-year.
In June, the export volume and price of steel billets rose sharply. The export volume increased sharply by 56.7% month-on-month to 2,839,000 tons, the highest level in history, and the unit export price rose 4.0% month-on-month. The cumulative export volume from January to June was 9.593 million tons, a sharp increase of 62.8% year on year, and the export unit price rose 1.8% year on year.
2. Subregional situation
Table 6 Main flow trends of steel exports in June 2026
Table 7 Main flow of billet exports in June 2026
In June, China's steel exports to GCC countries rebounded markedly, with an increase of 39.7%; exports to ASEAN and the EU fell 11.3% and 15.1% month-on-month respectively; exports to African Union countries continued to grow, increasing 9.7% month-on-month. By country, exports to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia increased by 53.6% and 32.8%, respectively, while exports to the Philippines and Vietnam fell 26.5% and 14.9%, respectively. From January to June, China's steel exports to the African Union and the European Union maintained double-digit year-on-year growth, with increases of 11.2% and 10.8% respectively; exports to the GCC fell 34.6% year on year; exports to ASEAN fell 1.8% year on year, and the decline was narrowing month by month. By country, the top five export destinations declined year-on-year, while exports from countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, India, Peru, and India increased year-on-year.
In June, China's steel billet exports rose sharply month-on-month, and exports to major destinations generally grew strongly. Among them, exports to Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Turkey showed explosive month-on-month growth, while exports to Italy, Malaysia, Belgium, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and other countries all achieved double-digit month-on-month growth. From January to June, among the top ten destinations for China's billet exports, only the Philippines declined year-on-year; the rest of the markets grew significantly. Exports to Belgium surged 720% year on year; to Thailand and Malaysia both increased by more than 140% year on year, achieving a breakthrough in exports to Oman from scratch.
The import situation of steel products
In June 2026, China's total steel imports fell slightly from month to month, and the average price rose markedly. Imports from Japan, the largest source, fell sharply, and imports from other major sources all rebounded to varying degrees.
1. Situation by variety
Table 8 Import volume of major steel categories in June 2026
Table 9 Average import prices for 22 major steel categories in June 2026
Table 10. Import volume and price of steel billets in June 2026
In June, out of 22 types of steel, imports of a total of 15 types increased month-on-month. By variety, medium plate is still the variety with the largest import volume in a single month, with a decrease of 16.8%; among the varieties with the highest import volume, imports of cold-rolled sheets, coated sheets (strips), and cold-rolled thin and wide steel strips continued to increase month-on-month, while imports of medium thick and wide steel belts fell sharply by 29.4% month-on-month. From January to June, the top five imported varieties all declined year on year. Among them, medium thick and wide steel strips fell 20.7% year on year, while medium plate and coated plate decreased by 14.6% and 12.6% year on year, respectively. In June, the import unit price of a total of 15 types rose month-on-month. Among them, the import unit price of medium and thick wide steel strips, seamless pipes, and cold-rolled narrow strip steel had the highest month-on-month increase; from January to June, the import unit price of a total of 8 types rose year-on-year.
In June, the scale of imports of steel billets was small. Affected by last month's low base, there was a sharp increase of 153.2% month-on-month, and the average import price fell 2.0% month-on-month. In January-June, 553,000 tons of steel billets were imported, up 7.3% year on year, and the average import price fell sharply by 21.9% year on year.
2. Subregional situation
Table 11 Main sources of steel imports in June 2026
In June, the overall scale of China's steel imports declined slightly month-on-month, and import trends from major sources were clearly divided. Imports from Japan fell sharply by 26.3% month-on-month, which was the only main source of the month-on-month decline; imports from South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Sweden all achieved month-on-month growth, with Indonesia and South Korea leading the month-on-month increase. In January-June, with the exception of imports from Sweden, which increased 37.9% year on year, the cumulative import volume from major sources such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and Taiwan all declined year on year, and overall imports continued to contract.
Later outlook
External restrictions tightened in the second half of the year, and the EU's new steel protection measures reduced quotas and introduced “smelting and casting” rules of origin, compounded global geographical disturbances, and the export environment became more complicated. In the next stage, we will strictly implement the steel export license management system, closely follow the direction of “promoting high-end, stable periphery, and strict supervision”, strengthen industry self-discipline, optimize export structures, deeply cultivate surrounding and emerging markets, actively respond to trade frictions, actively adapt to international rules, promote the transformation of exports to high-end and green, and achieve steady and orderly development.