Posted on 23 Dec 2025
China's stainless steel exports staged a notable on-month recovery in November from the year-low registered in October, according to new data released by the General Administration of Customs (GACC), with last month's stainless exports surging 13.2% month-on-month to approximately 405,300 tonnes.
Industry analysts attribute the increase primarily to "front-loading" behaviour by exporters, who rushed shipments in anticipation of a new export licensing policy announced on December 12, a move that requires exporters to secure licences based on formal export contracts and manufacturer-issued quality inspection certificates, as Mysteel Global reported. The policy, set to take effect on January 1, 2026, prompted companies to expedite orders to avoid potential procedural delays and uncertainties post-implementation.
The export growth was broad-based across product types and destinations. Among products, the increase in exports of cold-rolled coil was the most significant, rising by 6.1% month-on-month to 183,900 tonnes, the GACC data show.
Shipments of all stainless items to Southeast Asia surged to a record high of 141,000 tonnes in November, up 31.5% from October and 12.6% from the year-ago level. Vietnam and Thailand were the leading contributors, with exports jumping 45.5% and 59.4% on month, respectively, to 54,000 tonnes and 24,000 tonnes in November.
The cumulative export volume to Southeast Asia for the first 11 months of the year was approximately 1.3 million tonnes, representing an increase of 193,000 tonnes or 17.5% compared to the same period last year.
However, China's total export volume for the January-November period reached approximately 4.55 million tonnes, representing a decrease of 5,300 tonnes or 0.1% compared to the same period last year.
In contrast to last month's export rebound, China's stainless steel imports fell by 9.7% month-on-month to 112,100 tonnes in November, the GACC statistics indicate. For the first 11 months of 2025, the cumulative import volume stood at around 1.37 million tonnes, marking a significant year-on-year decrease of 20.8%.
Source:Mysteel
