Imports to China climbed 16.5 percent from a year earlier to USD 191 billion in December 2019, the most since October 2018 and way above market forecasts of a 9.6 percent jump, boosted in part by higher commodity prices. Unwrought copper imports rose 22.8 percent to their highest since March 2016 and iron ore purchases were 16.9 percent higher at 27-month high. Imports also advanced for refined products (9.9 percent), crude oil (3.9 percent), natural gas (3 percent), copper ores & concentrates (31.8 percent), soybeans (66.8 percent), edible vegetable oil (21.8 percent), and rubber (9.1 percent). In addition, purchases of pork rose almost four times from a year earlier ahead of Lunar New Year holidays. On the other hand, arrivals fell for both coal (-77.8 percent), and steel products (-85.3 percent). Considering the whole year, imports fell 2.8 percent on weak domestic demand, after rising 15.8 percent in 2018.

Imports in China averaged 554.31 USD HML from 1981 until 2019, reaching an all time high of 1951.34 USD HML in September of 2018 and a record low of 13.88 USD HML in February of 1983. This page provides - China Imports - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news. source: General Administration of Customs

Imports in China is expected to be 1600.00 USD HML by the end of this quarter, according to Trading Economics global macro models and analysts expectations. Looking forward, we estimate Imports in China to stand at 1740.00 in 12 months time. In the long-term, the China Imports is projected to trend around 1800.00 USD HML in 2021, according to our econometric models.


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China Imports

Actual Previous Highest Lowest Dates Unit Frequency
1910.57 1838.52 1951.34 13.88 1981 - 2019 USD HML Monthly
Current Prices, NSA


Calendar GMT Actual Previous Consensus TEForecast
2019-10-14 02:30 AM Sep -8.5% -5.6% -5.2%
2019-11-08 03:00 AM Oct -6.4% -8.5% -8.9% -7.4%
2019-12-08 03:00 AM Nov 0.3% -6.5% -1.8% -2.2%
2020-01-14 03:00 AM Dec 16.3% 0.5% 9.6% 8.5%
Go to our Calendar for more events. Or learn more about the Calendar API for direct access.


News Stream
China Import Growth Hit 14-Month High
Imports to China climbed 16.3 percent from a year earlier to USD 190.86 billion in December 2019, the most since October 2018 and way above market forecasts of a 9.6 percent jump, boosted in part by higher commodity prices. Unwrought copper imports rose 22.8 percent to their highest since March 2016 and iron ore purchases were 16.9 percent higher at 27-month high. Imports also advanced for refined products (9.9 percent), crude oil (3.9 percent), natural gas (3 percent), copper ores & concentrates (31.8 percent), soybeans (66.8 percent), edible vegetable oil (21.8 percent), and rubber (9.1 percent). In addition, purchases of pork rose almost four times from a year earlier ahead of Lunar New Year holidays. On the other hand, arrivals fell for both coal (-77.8 percent), and steel products (-85.3 percent). Considering the whole year, imports fell 2.8 percent on weak domestic demand, after rising 15.8 percent in 2018.
2020-01-14
China Imports Rise for First Time in 7 Months
Imports to China surprisingly rose 0.3 percent year-on-year to USD 183.01 billion in November 2019, defying market consensus of a 1.8 percent fall and following a 6.2 percent decline in October. This marked the first year-on-year import growth since April, as unwrought copper purchases were the highest since September 2018 (5.9% to 483,000 tonnes). Imports also advanced for crude oil (6.7%), natural gas (3.3%), copper ores & concentrates (27.0%), coal (8.5%), iron ore (5.1%), soybeans (53.8%) and edible vegetable oil (70.3%). On the other hand, arrivals fell for refined products (-22.7%), fuel oil (-29.3%), steel products (-1.4%), rare earths (-42.8%), and rubber (-5.6%). Imports increased from the US (2.9%), the EU (2.7%), ASEAN (11.1%) and Taiwan (2.0%). On the other hand, purchases from Japan were unchanged, while those from Australia and South Korea dropped 9.3 percent and 7.1 percent respectively.
2019-12-08
China Imports Fall Less than Expected in October
Imports to China dropped 6.4 percent year-on-year to USD 170.12 billion in October 2019, compared to market consensus of an 8.9 percent fall and after an 8.5 percent drop in September. This was the sixth consecutive month of yearly drop in imports, as purchases fell for refined products (-13.1% to 2.22 million tonnes), natural gas (-10.6% to 6.52 million tonnes), and steel products (-9.9% to 1.03 million tonnes). Also, imports declined for soybeans (-10.7% to 6.18 million tonnes), and rubber (-8.6% to 500,000 tonnes). On the other hand, imports rose for crude oil (11.5% to a record high of 45.51 million tonnes), unwrought copper (1.9% to 431,000 tonnes), copper ores & concentrates (22% to 1,914,000 tonnes), coal (11.3% to 25.69 million tonnes), and iron ore (5.1% to 92.86 million tonnes). Purchases declined from the US (-14.3%), Japan (-7.3%), and Taiwan (-5.4%); but increased from the EU (16.6%), Australia (11.5%), and the ASEAN countries (2.3%).
2019-11-08
China Imports Fall More than Estimated
Imports to China slumped 8.5 percent from a year earlier to USD 178.47 billion in September 2019, compared to market consensus of a 5.2 percent fall and after a 5.6 percent drop in August. This was the fifth straight consecutive yearly decrease in imports, as purchases fell for unwrought copper (-14.6 percent), steel products (-7.6 percent), rare earth (-27.9 percent), rubber (-10 percent), and refined products (-26.5 percent). In contrast, purchases of iron ore imports jumped 93.47 percent to 99.36 million tonnes, its highest in 20 months, fuelled by firm demand at steel mills and stable shipments from big miners. Also, purchases increased for crude oil (10.8 percent), coal (20.5 percent), natural gas (7.3 percent) and soybeans (2.3 percent).
2019-10-14

China Imports
In 2019 imports to China fell 2.7 percent, the first yearly decline in three years, on weak domestic demand and persistent trade tensions with the US. Machinery and transport equipment accounted for 38 percent of total imports on the back of electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances (21 percent), road vehicles (4 percent), telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus and equipment (3 percent), and office machines and automatic data processing machines (3 percent). Other important categories were: mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (17 percent) led by petroleum, petroleum products and related materials (13 percent) and gas, natural and manufactured (3 percent); crude materials, inedible, except fuels (14 percent), such as metalliferous ores and metal scrap (9 percent); chemicals and related products (11 percent) due to organic chemicals (3 percent) and plastics in primary forms (3 percent); miscellaneous manufactured articles (7 percent); manufactured goods classified chiefly by material (7 percent); and food and live animals (4 percent). The biggest source of imports was the EU (13 percent of imports) of which Germany (5 percent) and France (2 percent), followed by South Korea, Taiwan, Japan (8 percent each), the US and Australia (6 percent each), Brazil (4 percent), Malaysia, Vietnam, Russia and Saudi Arabia (3 percent each), and Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia (2 percent each).

China Imports by Country Last Previous
European Union 24717800.00 25058898.00 USD THO Dec/19
Japan 16330900.00 15294766.00 USD THO Dec/19
Taiwan 15763800.00 16730662.00 USD THO Dec/19
South Korea 14889700.00 15233443.00 USD THO Dec/19
United States 11227600.00 10969941.00 USD THO Dec/19
Australia 10443100.00 8689902.00 USD THO Dec/19
Germany 9226000.00 9339984.00 USD THO Dec/19
Brazil 7108900.00 7290531.00 USD THO Dec/19
Malaysia 6937900.00 6131953.00 USD THO Dec/19
Vietnam 6594600.00 6857596.00 USD THO Dec/19
Russia 5539200.00 5528038.00 USD THO Dec/19
Saudi Arabia 4636623.00 4953825.00 USD THO Dec/19
Thailand 4222800.00 4011216.00 USD THO Dec/19
Switzerland 4048780.00 2254409.00 USD THO Dec/19
Singapore 3431900.00 3157527.00 USD THO Dec/19
France 3088300.00 3173917.00 USD THO Dec/19
Indonesia 2570200.00 3211015.00 USD THO Dec/19
Chile 2404192.00 2411175.00 USD THO Dec/19
Oman 2395757.00 2102378.00 USD THO Dec/19
South Africa 2386100.00 1812100.00 USD THO Dec/19
China Imports by Category Last Previous
Mechanical & Electrical Products 83180500.00 84317702.00 USD THO Dec/19
High-&-new-tech Products 59072800.00 58945102.00 USD THO Dec/19
Fuels & Related Materials 29895323.00 30000978.00 USD THO Dec/19
Integrated Circuit 27511300.00 29375100.00 USD THO Dec/19
Crude Petroleum (value) 21929200.00 20895000.00 USD THO Dec/19
Agricultural Products 15043700.00 13644900.00 USD THO Dec/19
Iron Ore & Concentrates 8898200.00 8217822.00 USD THO Dec/19
Iron Ores & Concentrate 8898200.00 8217822.00 USD THO Dec/19
Motor Vehicles & Chassis 3939300.00 5819900.00 USD THO Dec/19
Soybean 3888900.00 3304009.00 USD THO Dec/19
Liquefied Petroleum Gas 3887700.00 2984891.00 USD THO Dec/19
Measuring Instruments 3609802.00 3241133.00 USD THO Dec/19
Pharmaceuticals 3413300.00 3382500.00 USD THO Dec/19
Unwrought Copper & Copper Products 3336500.00 3047155.00 USD THO Dec/19
Medicinal & Pharmaceutical Products 3231062.00 3122185.00 USD THO Dec/19
Automatic Data Proc. Eq. & Components 3160000.00 2926405.00 USD THO Dec/19
Parts of Motor Vehicles 2872700.00 2985174.00 USD THO Dec/19
Copper Ore & Concentrate 2858500.00 3217348.00 USD THO Dec/19
Copper Ores & Concentrate 2858500.00 3217348.00 USD THO Dec/19
Copper & Its Alloys 2760280.00 2570289.00 USD THO Dec/19

United Nations Comtrade Database
Exports by Country  |   Exports by Category  |   Imports by Country  |   Imports by Category