- June imports surge 147% amid stronger buying
- Japan top supplier; Thailand records fastest growth
China’s imports of stainless steel scrap surged 87% y-o-y to around 101,254 tonnes in this year’s January-June half, according to new data from the country’s General Administration of Customs (GACC). This sharp gain is primarily linked to a low-base effect from H1 last year, Chinese users diversifying import sources, and tightening nickel supply from Indonesia, Mysteel Global suggests.
June imports alone reached some 22,322 tonnes, jumping 25.8% on month and soaring 146.9% on year, the data showed.
Japan remained the largest stainless scrap supplier, with China importing 47,915 tonnes from the country over January-June, higher by a significant 59.3% from the same period last year. June shipments from Japan skyrocketed 97.3% on month and 136.4% on year to 13,521 tonnes, according to the Customs data.
Import sources have become increasingly diversified. While Japan remains the dominant supplier, Thailand and Malaysia have emerged as increasingly important sources. Stainless scrap imports from Thailand reached 17,352 tonnes in H1, skyrocketing 673.1% on year, while those from Malaysia stood at 10,294 tonnes, a drop of 24.3% from January-June last year, the Customs statistics indicate.
The expansion of Southeast Asia’s stainless steel industry has generated more return stainless scrap, and the region’s geographical proximity and lower logistics costs have made it an important supplementary source for China, Mysteel Global observes.
The sharp growth in scrap imports came as Indonesia significantly reduced its 2026 Work Plan and Budget (RKAB) quotas for nickel mining, a move that has tightened global nickel supply and pushed nickel pig iron (NPI) prices higher, as reported. For Chinese stainless mills, using imported scrap as a lower-cost alternative to NPI has become an effective way to offset rising feedstock costs, analysts said.
The low-base effect also played a role, as import volumes in 2025 were relatively low, which amplified the on-year growth rate. Still, the total H1 volume remains modest compared with China’s vast stainless steel production capacity, sources argue.
Note: This article is published as part of a content exchange agreement between MySteel and BigMint.
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