[SMM Sheets & Plates Imports & Exports] China's Sheets & Plates Exports Fell 4% YoY in the First 11 Months of 2025

• From January to November, steel product exports increased 7% YoY, while sheet and plate exports decreased 4% YoY.

Customs data showed that China exported 9.98 million mt of steel products in November 2025, up 198,000 mt from the previous month, an increase of 2.0% MoM. Cumulative exports from January to November reached 107.717 million mt, up 6.7% YoY.
Among them, China exported 5.6374 million mt of steel sheets and plates in November 2025, up 28,500 mt from the previous month, a MoM increase of 0.5%. Cumulative exports from January to November totaled 61.8874 million mt, down 3.9% YoY.

In terms of proportion, China's exports of steel sheets & plates accounted for approximately 51% of total steel exports (including steel billet) from January to November 2025, a decrease of about 9 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, exports of rebar, coiled rebar, and steel billet accounted for approximately 25% of total steel exports (including steel billet) in the first 11 months of this year, an increase of about 9 percentage points compared to the same period in 2024.

• Coated and Galvanized Steel Maintained the Top Position in China's Exports of Steel Products by Category

From January to November 2025, the total export volume of coated and galvanized steel sheets reached 28.1477 million mt, an increase of 3.6336 million mt compared with the same period in 2024, representing a growth of 15%; silicon steel exports totaled 1.3905 million mt, up by 70,500 mt year-on-year, a 5% increase; HRC exports amounted to 22.3652 million mt, down by 5.4077 million mt from the same period in 2024, a decrease of 19%; cold-rolled coil exports reached 4.6864 million mt, declining by 407,000 mt year-on-year, down 8%.

In 2025, total hot-rolled exports decreased by more than 5 million mt, while total coated and plated exports increased by nearly 4 million mt. This shift in export volumes is attributed, on one hand, to low-price competition in hot-rolled products triggering intensified overseas trade sanctions, while trade barriers for coated and plated products have not yet been significantly raised. On the other hand, it relates to capacity constraints in certain overseas markets and their growing demand for coated and plated coils. How long can coated and plated products maintain their leading position in China's steel exports by product category?

As China's steel exports continue to expand globally and export volumes keep rising, many overseas countries are already preparing a new round of trade sanctions targeting high-value-added steel products such as coated and plated coils. The Chinese steel industry urgently needs to optimize its product mix, gradually shifting from basic products to high-value-added ones. By moving away from the "vicious cycle" of low-price competitiveness and ensuing trade sanctions, the industry should focus on high-precision product development, demand-driven strategies, and fostering the healthy growth of steel going global.