US Tariff Turmoil and the Performance of Copper Pipe & Tube Imports and Exports

According to customs data, China imported 1,128.6 mt of copper pipe & tube in July, down 41.7% MoM and 35.5% YoY; exports of copper pipe & tube reached 28,614.7 mt, down 5.6% MoM and 12.6% YoY. In July, both the imports and exports of copper pipe & tube in China declined on a MoM and YoY basis.

In terms of imports, there was no significant change in the main importing countries. As July is the off-season for the copper pipe & tube industry, the low domestic production sentiment also led to a decrease in demand for imported copper pipe & tube; cumulative imports from January to July decreased by 2.5% YoY.

Regarding exports, Thailand and the US remained at the top in terms of market share. Under the uncertainty of US tariffs, the proportion of Chinese copper pipe & tube directly exported to the US accounted for 17.75% of total exports.

On July 30, 2025, US President Trump signed an announcement imposing a 50% tariff on imported semi-finished copper products and high-copper-content derivatives starting August 1. The scope of the tariffs includes semi-finished copper products such as copper pipe, wire, billet, and plate/sheet and strip, as well as high-copper-content derivatives like fittings, cables, connectors, and electrical components. Observing the data, it was found that the quantity of Chinese copper pipe & tube exported to the US gradually decreased in 2025. The US already had anti-dumping measures against Chinese copper pipe & tube, leading to a reduction in exports from major Chinese enterprises to the US. Additionally, with Chinese companies setting up factories in the US and rapidly ramping up production, the direct export volume of copper pipe & tube to the US also declined. However, some industrial alloy tubes were still being exported to the US, bearing hefty tariffs, and it is expected that the volume of these exports will also decline in August.

According to SMM and market exchanges, after the imposition of additional tariffs, copper pipe & tube companies directly exporting to the US will face hefty tariffs, leading to a reduction in exports to the US, while copper tube & pipe processing fees in the US will rise accordingly; it is expected that the quantity of Chinese copper pipe & tube directly exported to the US will start to decline in August.