China's steel exports rose by 0.3% month-on-month in August 2026, reaching 10.15 million tons, a 6.8% increase year-on-year, according to data from the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA).
The average export price reached $722.2 per ton, a 0.9% increase from July 2026.
During the first eight months of 2026, steel exports amounted to 75.15 million tons, a 3% decrease year-on-year, while steel imports in August fell to 434,000 tons, a 13.2% decrease year-on-year.
In contrast, iron ore imports during August 2026 increased by 0.4% month-on-month and 3.1% year-on-year to 108.54 million tons, bringing the total imports since the beginning of the year to 845.27 million tons, a 5.5% increase.
China's steel exports had reached a record level of 119.02 million tons in 2025, an increase of 7.5%, amid weak domestic demand.
Steel imports in 2025 decreased by 11.1% to 6.06 million tons, while ore imports grew by 1.8% to 1.26 billion tons.
