Posted on 10 Jun 2026
China's exports of finished steel over January-May totaled 44.55 million tonnes, lower by 8.1% from the first five months of last year, according to the latest statistics from the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC) published on June 9.
During May alone, China exported 10.34 million tonnes of finished steel, down by 2.2% on year, the GACC data show. The rate of decrease slowed significantly from the 9.2% on-year fall seen during April, however, Mysteel Global noted. Moreover, last month's total was higher by a substantial 8.9% from April, the Customs statistics show.
GACC does not provide commentary with its data, but last month's result represented a reversal of the trend seen earlier this year, when China's steel exports declined substantially on year, as reported. Commentators had attributed this to the blizzard of trade remedy measures targeting China-origin steel and Beijing's renewed export licensing system for steel products inaugurated on January 1.
These factors would have remained inhibitors to China's steel exports last month but fortunately, the country benefited from the slower growth in finished steel output in other countries due to disruptions caused by the US-Iran hostilities, a Shanghai-based steel analyst indicated. This had prompted those countries to seek out supplies of Chinese finished steel to meet domestic needs, especially semi-finished items.
This is evidenced by the timing of the improvement in China's steel exports, Mysteel Global notes. The tonnes shipped abroad by Chinese mills and traders during May were mainly fulfilling orders signed one-to-two months earlier – namely in April or March. This coincides with the start of the Mid East conflict following the US strike on Iran on February 28.
For example, during March Thailand – a country heavily reliant on Iranian billets – saw its finished steel output decline by 1.4% on year to 668,469 tonnes, as against the 9.1% on-year increase in February. Meanwhile, the country imported 1.1 million tonnes of finished steel in March, higher by a strong 11.2% on year and almost offsetting the 14.3% plunge in import volume in February, according to statistics from the Iron and Steel Institute of Thailand.
Whether China's steel exports will continue to climb in June remains uncertain, as upward momentum could largely depend on the pace of recovery of Iranian steel supplies.
Meanwhile, during January-May China imported 2.26 million tonnes of steel, lower by 12.2% on year, the GACC data showed.
Source:Mysteel Global
