General Administration of Customs: In the first four months, copper semis imports fell by 3.9%, rare earth exports rose by 5.1%, and aluminum semis exports fell by 5.7%

According to customs statistics, in the first four months of 2025, the total value of China's import and export of goods trade was 14.14 trillion yuan, up 2.4% YoY (the same hereinafter). Of this total, exports amounted to 8.39 trillion yuan, up 7.5%, while imports reached 5.75 trillion yuan, down 4.2%.

In April, the total value of China's import and export of goods trade was 3.84 trillion yuan, up 5.6%. Of this total, exports amounted to 2.27 trillion yuan, up 9.3%, while imports reached 1.57 trillion yuan, up 0.8%.

Key features of China's import and export in the first four months:

1. Growth in import and export of ordinary trade and processing trade

In the first four months, China's import and export of ordinary trade reached 9.05 trillion yuan, up 0.6%, accounting for 64% of China's total foreign trade value. Of this total, exports amounted to 5.53 trillion yuan, up 7.3%, while imports reached 3.52 trillion yuan, down 8.4%. During the same period, import and export of processing trade reached 2.54 trillion yuan, up 6.6%, accounting for 18%. Of this total, exports amounted to 1.58 trillion yuan, up 5.5%, while imports reached 960.57 billion yuan, up 8.4%. In addition, China's import and export through bonded logistics reached 2.04 trillion yuan, up 7%. Of this total, exports amounted to 847.48 billion yuan, up 17.7%, while imports reached 1.19 trillion yuan, up 0.6%.

2. Growth in import and export with ASEAN and the EU

In the first four months, ASEAN was China's largest trading partner, with the total trade value between China and ASEAN reaching 2.38 trillion yuan, up 9.2%, accounting for 16.8% of China's total foreign trade value. Of this total, exports to ASEAN amounted to 1.48 trillion yuan, up 12.6%, while imports from ASEAN reached 895.17 billion yuan, up 4%. The EU was China's second-largest trading partner, with the total trade value between China and the EU reaching 1.78 trillion yuan, up 1.1%, accounting for 12.6%. Of this total, exports to the EU amounted to 1.21 trillion yuan, up 6.1%, while imports from the EU reached 563.59 billion yuan, down 8.1%. The US was China's third-largest trading partner, with the total trade value between China and the US reaching 1.44 trillion yuan, down 2.1%, accounting for 10.2%. Of this total, exports to the US amounted to 1.07 trillion yuan, down 1.5%, while imports from the US reached 369.95 billion yuan, down 3.7%.

During the same period, China's total import and export with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached 7.25 trillion yuan, up 3.9%. Of this total, exports amounted to 4.15 trillion yuan, up 9.6%, while imports reached 3.1 trillion yuan, down 2.8%.

3. Increase in the proportion of import and export by private enterprises

In the first four months, import and export by private enterprises reached 8.05 trillion yuan, up 6.8%, accounting for 56.9% of China's total foreign trade value, an increase of 2.3 percentage points compared with the same period last year.Of this total, exports amounted to RMB 5.47 trillion, up 8.1%, accounting for 65.1% of China's total export value. Imports reached RMB 2.58 trillion, up 4.2%, accounting for 45% of China's total import value. During the same period, the import and export volume of foreign-invested enterprises stood at RMB 4.1 trillion, up 1.9%, accounting for 29% of China's total foreign trade value. Of this, exports amounted to RMB 2.28 trillion, up 6.1%, while imports reached RMB 1.82 trillion, down 3%. The import and export volume of state-owned enterprises was RMB 1.96 trillion, down 11.3%, accounting for 13.9% of China's total foreign trade value. Of this, exports amounted to RMB 640.6 billion, up 7.3%, while imports reached RMB 1.32 trillion, down 18.2%.

IV. Mechanical and electrical products accounted for over 60% of exports, with growth in exports of automatic data processing equipment and its parts, integrated circuits, and automobiles.

In the first four months, China exported mechanical and electrical products worth RMB 5.04 trillion, up 9.5%, accounting for 60.1% of China's total export value. Of this, automatic data processing equipment and its parts accounted for RMB 458.71 billion, up 5.6%; integrated circuits accounted for RMB 405.15 billion, up 14.7%; and automobiles accounted for RMB 264.98 billion, up 4%. During the same period, exports of labor-intensive products amounted to RMB 1.3 trillion, down 1.6%, accounting for 15.4%. Of this, textiles accounted for RMB 329.17 billion, up 4.9%. Exports of agricultural products reached RMB 235.57 billion, up 6.1%.

V. Import prices of major bulk commodities such as iron ore, crude oil, and coal fell, while the import value of mechanical and electrical products increased.

In the first four months, China imported 388 million mt of iron ore, down 5.5%, with an average import price (the same hereinafter) of RMB 710.4 per mt, down 17.8%; 183 million mt of crude oil, up 0.5%, at RMB 3,936.7 per mt, down 8%; 153 million mt of coal, down 5.3%, at RMB 569.6 per mt, down 22.2%; 38.994 million mt of natural gas, down 9.2%, at RMB 3,318.3 per mt, down 6.1%; 23.19 million mt of soybeans, down 14.6%, at RMB 3,283.2 per mt, down 15%; and 12.922 million mt of refined oil products, down 25.6%, at RMB 4,381.8 per mt, up 1.6%. In addition, China imported 9.525 million mt of primary plastics, down 1.1%, at RMB 10,500 per mt, down 0.5%; and 1.742 million mt of unwrought copper and copper semis, down 3.9%, at RMB 69,000 per mt, up 8.5%. During the same period, the import value of mechanical and electrical products reached RMB 2.23 trillion, up 5.7%.

Furthermore, according to CCTV News, Lv Daliang, Director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis at the General Administration of Customs, stated that since the beginning of this year, various regions and departments have worked together to effectively respond to external shocks, promoting the sustained rebound and improvement of China's economy, with foreign trade maintaining a steady growth momentum.The growth rate of imports and exports in April accelerated by 4.3 percentage points compared to Q1, with export growth expanding and imports shifting from decline to increase, demonstrating strong resilience.

SMM compiled the import and export situation of some metal industry products based on data released by the General Administration of Customs, as detailed below:

Exports:

In April 2025, rare earth exports reached 4,784.8 mt, a 4.8% increase YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative exports amounted to 18,962.3 mt, a 5.1% increase YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, steel exports reached 10.462 million mt, a 13.4% increase YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative exports amounted to 3,789.1 mt, an 8.2% increase YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, unwrought aluminum and aluminum semis exports reached 518,000 mt , a 0.4% decrease YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative exports amounted to 1.883 million mt, a 5.7% decrease YoY compared to January-April 2024.

Imports:

In April 2025, iron ore and concentrate imports reached 103.138 million mt, a 1.3% increase YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative imports amounted to 388.360 million mt, a 5.5% decrease YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, copper ore and concentrate imports reached 29.24 million mt, a 24.5% increase YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative imports amounted to 100.31 million mt, a 7.8% increase YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, coal and lignite imports reached 37.825 million mt, a 16.4% decrease YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative imports amounted to 152.671 million mt, a 5.3% decrease YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, rare earth imports reached 12,622.7 mt, a 4% decrease YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative imports amounted to 37,301.8 mt, a 23.6% decrease YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, steel imports reached 5.22 million mt, a 20.7% decrease YoY compared to April 2024.From January to April 2025, cumulative imports reached 207.2 million mt, down 13.9% YoY compared to January-April 2024.

In April 2025, imports of unwrought copper and copper semis were 438,000 mt, unchanged YoY compared to April 2024. From January to April 2025, cumulative imports were 1.742 million mt, down 3.9% YoY compared to January-April 2024.

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