Posted on 21 Sep 2026
China's stainless steel exports reached around 445,663 tonnes in August, up 54,269 tonnes or 13.9% month on month, according to new data from the country's General Administration of Customs (GACC). However, the total was still lower by 2,181 tonnes or 0.5% year on year.
Exports rebound on recovering overseas demand
The on-month rebound came as summer holidays ended in some overseas markets and orders recovered, according to market sources. Exports to several destinations increased, with those to India recording the largest gain.
Shipments to India jumped by 27,236 tonnes or 61.1% from July to 71,845 tonnes, while exports to Turkey leapt by 9,979 tonnes or 54.8% to 28,183 tonnes and those to Russia soared by 8,569 tonnes or 28.7% to 38,443 tonnes, according to the GACC data. The broad-based increase suggested that demand from several key overseas markets improved after the seasonal demand lull, Mysteel Global notes.
India becomes a key growth market
Besides the 61% surge in China's stainless exports to India last month, the 71,845 tonnes total was also higher by a sizzling 300.7% or 53,914 tonnes from August last year. This was also the highest total to India since January 2024 and remained near a multi-year high. The sharp rise has made India one of the most notable growth markets for Chinese stainless steel so far this year.
In the January-August period, cumulative stainless exports to India totaled 294,325 tonnes, skyrocketing by 176,542 tonnes or 149.9% year on year. China's total stainless steel exports over the same period reached around 2.9 million tonnes, down 467,856 tonnes or 13.9% from a year earlier. However, stronger shipments to India only partly offset weaker overall export demand.
Imports rise on stronger Indonesian supply
Meanwhile, China's imports of stainless steel in August stood at 140,936 tonnes, marking a significant rise of 24,529 tonnes or 21.1% on month and 23,774 tonnes or 20.3% on year, the GACC data suggests. For January-August, cumulative imports came in at 1.01 million tonnes, down 3,230 tonnes or 0.3% year on year.
China's stainless steel imports remain highly concentrated, mainly from Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. Last month, imports from these three sources totaled 130,169 tonnes, accounting for 92.4% of China's total imports of stainless products.
Their cumulative imports reached 923,144 tonnes in January-August, or 91% of the total.
Stainless imports from Indonesia alone reached 118,562 tonnes in August, surging 22,028 tonnes or 22.8% on month and 23,270 tonnes or 24.4% on year. In the January-August period, China's cumulative imports from Indonesia rose 25,898 tonnes or 3.2% year on year to 843,862 tonnes.
Net exports improve MoM but remain below year-ago levels
China's net exports of stainless steel in August registered 304,727 tonnes, up 29,740 tonnes or 10.8% month on month, but down 25,955 tonnes or 7.9% year on year. For January-August, total net exports plunged by 464,627 tonnes or 19.8% year on year to around 1.88 million tonnes.
Taken together, the data show that China's stainless steel exports rose in August from July but remained below year-earlier levels, while imports rose on stronger Indonesian supply. As a result, net exports last month improved from July but stayed below the year-earlier level.
Source:Mysteel Global
