In the January-August period this year, China's finished steel exports amounted to 75.149 million mt, decreasing by 3.0 percent year on year, 1.4 percentage points slower than the decline recorded in the first seven months this year, according to the latest data released by China's General Administration of Customs (GACC). China's new export license policy has been implemented since the start of 2026, exerting a negative impact on finished steel exports.
In August alone, China's finished steel exports amounted to 10.155 million mt, increasing by 0.3 percent month on month, while up 6.8 percent year on year.
In the first eight months this year, China's finished steel imports totaled 3.574 million mt, down 10.5 percent year on year. In August this year, China's finished steel imports came to 434,000 mt, down 2.5 percent month on month, while decreasing by 13.2 percent year on year.