Posted on 15 Jul 2026
China's exports of finished steel in the first half of 2026 reached 54.87 million tonnes, lower by 5.6% on year, according to the latest statistics from the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC) published on July 14. The on-year decline was smaller than the 8.1% fall recorded during January-May period, thanks to a strong performance in June.
During June alone, China exported 10.32 million tonnes of finished steel, jumping by 6.6% on year, the GACC data show. Notably, the June result extended the marginal recovery seen in May's data and marked the first month of on-year growth seen so far this year, Mysteel Global noted.
If this momentum of recovery continues, China's steel exports in 2026 would likely surpass 110 million tonnes, the data suggest. This would be lower by around 9 million tonnes compared with last year's 119 million tonnes, but much higher than the 100 million tonnes many had predicted earlier this year.
Although GACC does not provide commentary with its data, the H1 result reflected the resilience in China's steel exports, as Chinese steelmakers and traders have responded to a changing policy environment by diversifying their export destinations and product mix, Mysteel Global understood.
For example, during January-May China's steel exports to the African Union increased by 6.5% on year to 7.01 million tonnes, mainly supported by infrastructure demand in the region.
Similarly, although China's steel exports to major Southeast Asian markets like Vietnam declined in the first five months, steel exports to Indonesia and the Philippines increased by 3.4% and 0.3% to total 2.09 million tonnes and 2.3 million tonnes respectively. Moreover, China' steel exports to South Asian markets like India surged 38.8% on year to reach 1.13 million tonnes in the first five months.
The breakdown data by country for January-June are yet to be released, but it's likely these will show a similar trend, Mysteel Global notes.
The disruptions to steel supplies caused by the Middle-East conflict continue to offer some opportunities for Chinese steel products, according to industry insiders. This, together with China's transition towards higher value added and green steel, is expected to underpin China's steel exports during the current half.
However, pressures remain. The increasingly fierce competition in Southeast Asian markets brought about by the EU's new import quotas, and trade measures taken by other countries against Chinese steel, seem certain to weigh on China's steel exports in H2.
Meanwhile, during January-June China imported 2.7 million tonnes of steel, lower by 11.3% on year, the GACC data showed.
Source:Mysteel Global
