According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, China’s stainless steel exports reached 5.03 million tons in 2025, a slight decrease of 0.3%. In contrast, imports dropped by 19% to 1.52 million tons.

In December alone, China’s stainless steel exports totaled 485,000 tons, up by 19.7% from the previous month and by 4% from the same month a year earlier. This growth occurred just before China implemented a new export licensing system on January 1, 2026. Monthly imports also rose by 29% month on month and by 2% year on year to 145,000 tons.

Regarding raw materials, stainless steel scrap imports in 2025 grew by 23.5% year on year, totaling about 120,000 tons. December scrap arrivals accounted for 11,800 tons of that figure, showing a 20.6% yearly rise.