Dec 26, 2025 14:48

According to data from the General Administration of Customs, China's cumulative import volume of recycled copper raw materials reached 1.8956 million physical tonnes from January to October 2025, representing a year-on-year increase of 1.97% and maintaining a relatively stable overall scale. In October 2025, imports saw a significant surge, rising from 179,000 physical tonnes in September to 196,000 physical tonnes. While import volumes had previously declined between May and July due to trade frictions, particularly affecting supply from the United States. The market recovered steadily from August through October. This rebound was primarily driven by disruptions in copper concentrate supply and high primary copper prices which increased the demand for scrap as a substitute, alongside increased exports from major non-US suppliers such as Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. Furthermore, a slight improvement in China-US trade relations and a bullish sentiment among enterprises leading to aggressive stockpiling contributed to the spike in volume.