Brief analysis of China's stainless steel import and export data from January to June 2025

1. Stainless steel import and export volume

(1) Import volume of stainless steel

According to China's customs statistics: In June 2025, China's stainless steel imports were about 109,500 tons, a decrease of 15,600 tons month-on-month, a decrease of 12.5%; a decrease of 21,800 tons year-on-year, a decrease of 16.6%.

From January to June 2025, China's stainless steel imports totaled about 827,500 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 280,300 tons, a decrease of 25.3%.

The decline in imports was mainly caused by the decrease in cold-rolled coils imported from Indonesia, a decrease of 24,500 tons month-on-month, a decrease of 34.9%.

(2)Stainless steel export volume

According to China Customs statistics: In June 2025, the export volume of stainless steel was about 390,000 tons, a decrease of 46,400 tons month-on-month, a decrease of 10.6%; a decrease of 62,900 tons year-on-year, a decrease of 13.9%.

From January to June 2025, the cumulative domestic stainless steel export volume was about 2.5001 million tons, an increase of 135,300 tons year-on-year, an increase of 5.7%.

The main reason for the month-on-month decline in exports is the decline in production of cold-rolled and hot-rolled coils.

(3)Net export volume of stainless steel

According to China Customs statistics: In June 2025, the net export volume of stainless steel was about 280,500 tons, a decrease of 30,800 tons month-on-month, a decrease of 9.9%; a decrease of 41,000 tons year-on-year, a decrease of 12.8%.

From January to June 2025, the net export volume of stainless steel was approximately 1.6726 million tons, an increase of 415,600 tons year-on-year, an increase of 33.1%.

2. The situation in the top five imports

The import areas of stainless steel are relatively concentrated, mainly Indonesia, Japan and South Korea. In June 2025, the import volume from these three places was 97,000 tons, accounting for 89% of the total import volume. The cumulative volume in the top five regions is about 101,000 tons, accounting for 92.1% of the total import volume.

From January to June 2025, the cumulative import volume from the three places was about 750,000 tons, accounting for 90.6% of the total import volume. The cumulative volume in the top five regions is about 774,000 tons, accounting for 93.6% of the total domestic imports.

In June, the amount of stainless steel imported from Indonesia fell by 13.7% month-on-month and 20.7% year-on-year

According to statistics from China's customs: In June 2025, China's total stainless steel imports from Indonesia were about 85,600 tons, a decrease of 13,600 tons month-on-month, a decrease of 13.7%; a decrease of 22,400 tons year-on-year, a decrease of 20.7%. Among them, the hot rolling volume was about 13,400 tons, a month-on-month decrease of 19.8%, and a year-on-year increase of 38.5%; the cold rolling volume was about 45,700 tons, a month-on-month decrease of 24,500 tons, a month-on-month decrease of 34.9%; the year-on-year decrease of 21,700 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 32.2%; the slab volume was about 12,100 tons, a month-on-month increase of 10,000 tons, a month-on-month increase of 4,87.4%; the year-on-year increase of 5,200 tons, a year-on-year increase of 74.6%; the billet and other steel billet volume was about 14,000 tons, a month-on-month increase of 4,600 tons, a month-on-month increase of 49.3%; the year-on-year decrease of 8,700 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 38.4%.

From January to June 2025, the cumulative amount of stainless steel imported from Indonesia was about 676,500 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 279,400 tons, a decrease of 29.2%. Among them, the cumulative hot rolling was about 98,700 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 6,600 tons, a decrease of 6.2%; the cumulative cold rolling was about 467,100 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 25,700 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 5.2%; the cumulative slabs were about 46,200 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 34,100 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 42.5%; the cumulative volume of billets and other steel billets was about 60,900 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 213,700 tons, a year-on-year decrease of 77.8%.

3. Main export areas

In June 2025, the export volume of the top ten regions in mainland China was about 221,000 tons, accounting for about 56.7%. From January to June 2025, the cumulative amount was about 1.413 million tons, accounting for about 56.5%.

In June 2025, the export volume of the top 20 regions in mainland China was about 309,000 tons, accounting for about 79.26%. From January to June 2025, the cumulative amount was about 1.976 million tons, accounting for about 79.02%.

The impact of US tariffs and new European policies has damaged China's stainless steel export orders. Stainless steel exports continued to decline in June, with a cumulative decrease of 80,700 tons in three months, a decrease of 17.14%. Stainless steel exports are expected to remain at a low level in July.

In June, China's stainless steel exports declined, with exports to the UAE, Russia and Turkey reducing a lot, with a month-on-month reduction of about 8,000 tons.

Since Vietnam canceled the anti-dumping of cold-rolled stainless steel to China in November 2024, China's exports to Vietnam have increased, becoming the region with the largest number of stainless steel exports in China.

In June 2025, China's exports to Vietnam were about 41,000 tons, a decrease of 3,800 tons month-on-month, a decrease of 8.5%; a decrease of 472 tons year-on-year, a decrease of 1.1%. From January to June, the cumulative volume was about 257,000 tons, an increase of 46,900 tons year-on-year, an increase of 22.3%.

Sinosteel Stainless Steel Pipe
Web: https://www.sinosteel-pipe.com/en
email: contact@sinosteel-pipe.com

Sinosteel Stainless Steel Pipe is the Manufacturer and Supplier of Stainless Steel Pipe and Special Alloy Pipe, Steel pipes with an outer diameter from 8mm to 3600mm, with wall thicknesses from 0.2mm to 120mm. Factory covering an area of 333,000 square meters. Production capacity reaches 200,000 tons.

This release was published on openPR.