August Aluminum Wire and Cable Exports Up 70% YoY, Overseas PV Projects Emerge as Short-Term Core Driver [SMM Analysis]

September 30, 2025:

Customs data showed that China's aluminum wire and cable exports reached 22,300 mt in August 2025, up 26.35% MoM and 69% YoY. Cumulative exports from January to August totaled 175,100 mt, up 36.85% from 135,000 mt in the same period of 2024. By product structure, steel-core aluminum stranded wire exports were 15,000 mt, up 41% MoM and 80% YoY, accounting for 67% of total exports; aluminum stranded wire exports were 7,300 mt, up 5% MoM and 50% YoY, accounting for 33% of total exports. (HS codes: 76141000, 76149000)

In China's aluminum wire export markets in August 2025, Australia ranked first with exports of 1,875.4 mt (18% share), but decreased by 1,441.9 mt from the previous month (3,317.4 mt); Portugal ranked second with exports of 1,731.0 mt (16% share), a significant increase of 1,731.0 mt from the previous month; Cambodia ranked third with exports of 1,586.7 mt (15% share), up 224.8 mt from the previous month (1,361.9 mt). The resilience of the Southeast Asian market is prominent, with local developing countries benefiting from power grid infrastructure demand and the release of internal consumption potential, supporting aluminum wire demand and making it a major export region for China's aluminum wire and cable.

By export registration location, Jiangsu, Henan, and Zhejiang provinces remained the top three in export volume. Jiangsu's exports reached 10,713.85 mt (48.0% share), demonstrating strong export capacity; Henan's exports were 5,045.204 mt (22.6% share), firmly holding the second position; Chongqing's exports were 2,272.258 mt (10.2% share), ranking third.

SMM Brief Comment: China's aluminum wire and cable exports are expected to maintain a stable-to-rising trend in Q4 2025. On one hand, benefiting from the accelerated global energy transition, new energy grid connection projects in Southeast Asia continue to increase, coupled with grid upgrade demand in emerging markets such as Africa and Latin America, which will continue to support exports of key products like steel-core aluminum stranded wire. On the other hand, the front-load order effect triggered by adjustments in China's PV module export policies is expected to become apparent in September-October. Full-year exports are projected to be in the range of 200,000-250,000 mt, and due to overseas PV project construction demand, the product structure may shift toward aluminum alloy cables in the short term.