General Administration of Customs: In the First 4 Months, Copper Semis Imports Fell 9.8%, Rare Earth Imports Rose 9.5%, and Aluminum Semis Exports Grew 8.9%

According to customs statistics, in the first four months of 2026, China's total goods trade import and export value reached 16.23 trillion yuan, up 14.9% YoY (the same hereinafter). Of this, exports totaled 9.33 trillion yuan, up 11.3%; imports totaled 6.9 trillion yuan, up 20%. In April, China's total goods trade import and export value was 4.38 trillion yuan, up 14.2%. Of this, exports were 2.48 trillion yuan, up 9.8%; imports were 1.9 trillion yuan, up 20.6%.

Trade mode, in the first four months, China's Ordinary Trade imports and exports reached 982 billion yuan, up 8.5%; processing trade imports and exports reached 308 billion yuan, up 21.3%; bonded logistics imports and exports reached 281 billion yuan, up 38.7%.

Trading partner, in the first four months, China's total trade with ASEAN was 275 billion yuan, up 15.7%; China's total trade with the EU was 201 billion yuan, up 13.2%; China's total trade with the US was 125 billion yuan, down 12.9%. During the same period, China's total imports and exports with Belt and Road partner countries reached 828 billion yuan, up 13.5%.

Foreign trade entities, in the first four months, private enterprises' imports and exports reached 931 billion yuan, up 15.9%; foreign-invested enterprises' imports and exports reached 472 billion yuan, up 15.4%; state-owned enterprises' imports and exports reached 216 billion yuan, up 9.8%.

Key commodities, on the export side, in the first four months, China exported electromechanical products worth 592 billion yuan, up 17.6%; labor-intensive products worth 126 billion yuan, down 2.6%; agricultural products worth 240.15 billion yuan, up 2%. On the import side, in the first four months, China imported electromechanical products worth 276 billion yuan, up 23.6%; crude oil of 185 million mt, an increase of 1.3%; agricultural products worth 475.73 billion yuan, up 10.3%.

SMM compiled the import and export data of selected products in the metals industry based on data released by the General Administration of Customs, as follows:

Exports:

Rare Earth Exports, Apr 20265,308.6mt,up 10.9% YoY vs. Apr 2025. Cumulative exports from January to April 2026 were19,887.6mt,up 4.9% YoY vs. January to April 2025.

Steel exports in Apr 2026 were9.498 millionmt,down 9.2% YoY vs. Apr 2025. Cumulative exports from January to April 2026 totaled 3,421.4 mt, down 9.7% YoY from January-April 2025.

In April 2026, exports of unwrought aluminum and aluminum semis reached 598,000 mt, up 15.4% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative exports from January to April 2026 totaled 2.053 million mt, up 8.9% YoY from January-April 2025.

Imports:

In April 2026, iron ore and concentrates imports reached 103.854 million mt, up 0.7% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totaled 418.587 million mt, up 8.0% YoY from January-April 2025.

In April 2026, copper ore and concentrates imports reached 2.352 million mt, down 19.6% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totaled 9.915 million mt, down 0.8% YoY from January-April 2025.

In April 2026, coal and lignite imports reached 33.083 million mt, down 12.5% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totaled 149.36 million mt, down 2.1% YoY from January-April 2025.

In April 2026, rare earth imports reached 8,780.7 mt, down 30.4% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totaled 40,857.8 mt, up 9.5% YoY from January-April 2025.

In April 2026, steel imports reached 452,000 mt, down 10.9% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totaled 1.804 million mt, down 13.4% YoY from January-April 2025.

In April 2026, unwrought copper and copper semis imports reached 452,000 mt, up 3.2% YoY from April 2025. Cumulative imports from January to April 2026 totaled 1.567 million mt, down 9.8% YoY from January-April 2025.