According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's copper foil (HS codes: 74101100, 74102190) imports in September 2026 stood at 9,477.8 mt, up 13.97% MoM and up 45.63% YoY. Cumulative imports from January to September 2026 reached 70,800 mt, up 18.05% YoY. Copper foil exports in September 2026 totaled 8,651.83 mt, up 29.94% MoM and up 67.19% YoY, with cumulative exports from January to September 2026 reaching 62,100 mt, up 63.98% YoY.
China's copper foil import value in September 2026 was $225.008 million, up 83.1% YoY and up 11.73% MoM. Cumulative import value from January to September 2026 reached $1.583849 billion, up 48.65% YoY.
China's copper foil export value in September 2026 was $152.643 million, up 126.11% YoY and up 30.94% MoM. Cumulative export value from January to September 2026 reached $1.028489 billion, up 110.23% YoY.
China's copper foil trade deficit in September 2026 was approximately $72.365 million, down by about $12.45 million MoM from $84.815 million in August 2026.
By trade mode, China's copper foil imports in September 2026 included 7,275.66 mt through Ordinary Trade, 434.53 mt through processing trade with supplied materials, 987.34 mt through processing trade with imported materials, 769.28 mt through customs special supervision zones, and 11 mt through other trade modes.
China's copper foil exports in September 2026 included 1,702.81 mt through Ordinary Trade, 1,912.48 mt through processing trade with supplied materials, 4,491.75 mt through processing trade with imported materials, 492.62 mt through customs special supervision zones, and 52.17 mt through other trade modes.
By country and region, the main sources of China's copper foil imports in September 2026 were Taiwan, China, Indonesia, and Malaysia, with import volumes of 4,440.57 mt, 2,389.52 mt, and 948.11 mt, respectively.
The main destinations for China's copper foil exports in September 2026 were Thailand, South Korea, and Malaysia, with export volumes of 1,777.59 mt, 1,111.47 mt, and 856.1 mt, respectively.
China's copper clad laminate (CCL) (HS code: 74102110) imports in September 2026 were 3,786.04 mt, down 2.81% YoY and up 9.79% MoM. Cumulative CCL imports from January to September 2026 reached 31,842.04 mt, up 4.97% YoY.
China's CCL exports in September 2026 were 9,930.57 mt, up 31.02% YoY and up 7.89% MoM. Cumulative CCL exports from January to September 2026 reached 77,126 mt, up 14.31% YoY.
Overall, in September 2026, China's copper foil import and export volumes and values both hit new highs for the year, while the trade deficit narrowed. On the import side, China's overall copper foil operating rate was near full capacity, with limited supply elasticity for standard specifications, while high-end copper foil suited for high-speed PCBs and AI computing boards has yet to achieve large-scale domestic substitution, keeping import demand rigid. On the export side, with the traditional peak delivery season underway, overseas end-use demand for energy storage and power batteries remained strong, and AI computing capex stayed high. Export orders for lithium battery and high-speed copper foil were released in a concentrated manner, driving a sharp MoM increase in September exports. Looking ahead to October, with concentrated overseas energy storage deliveries in Q4 and a solid foundation for AI computing demand, copper foil exports are expected to sustain growth. The pace of domestic substitution for high-end copper foil remains slow, keeping import demand rigid, and the trade structure is expected to maintain its characteristic pattern of "high-end specifications reliant on imports, standard copper foil going global."
