Posted on 07 Jul 2025
The United States imported 49,913 tonnes of finished steel products from China in May, up 22.7% year-on-year, according to data released by the U.S. Census Bureau under the Department of Commerce (DoC) on July 3.
The May total also marked the second consecutive month of growth after imports hit a five-year low in March. Shipments from China rose by 14.5% from April, bringing total Chinese steel imports over January-May to 207,700 tonnes, up 24% year-on-year.
The rise in China-origin steel arrivals coincided with a temporary easing in U.S.-China trade tensions. Beginning May 14, Beijing and Washington had agreed to reduce tariffs on selected goods for 90 days. Although steel and aluminum were not included in the so called "reciprocal tariffs", the move helped lift sentiment among traders and buyers, leading to a pickup in orders during the month.
Broader market sentiment also improved in May. Total U.S. steel imports reached 2.27 million tonnes, up 20% from April, driven largely by a surge in shipments from Mexico. Imports from the southern neighbor nearly doubled month-on-month to 271,326 tonnes, the data showed.
Despite the temporary relief, market participants in China remain cautious. The tariff agreement raised hopes of improved trade conditions, but concerns linger over potential policy reversals by the U.S. administration, market watcher observed.
Such concerns are fully justified. Early last month on June 4, President Trump suddenly announced a decision to double Section 232 tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50%. As a result, the effective tariff rate on Chinese steel exports to the U.S. soared to as high as 95%, Mysteel Global noted.
Industry insiders expect the June policy shift to impact trade flows in the coming months, with American buyers likely to reassess their steel sourcing strategies under the tightened tariff regime.
Source:Mysteel Global
