China's aluminium imports hit 231,452 tonnes in July'23, a 20% increase Y-o-Y

According to China customs data, unwrought aluminium and products imports into China grew significantly by 20.1 per cent year-on-year to reach 231,452 tonnes in July 2023. Limited domestic stocks and expectations for robust demand in autumn drove the rise of China's aluminium imports.

On a month-on-month calculation, China's unwrought aluminium and products imports recorded a 9.6 per cent rise from 211,235 tonnes due to the same reason, showed customs data.

Aluminium stocks on the Shanghai Futures Exchange stood just above 100,000 tonnes in July 2023, the lowest level since December 2022.

China's total imports of unwrought aluminium and products in the first seven months of 2023 amounted to 1.43 million tonnes, 12.2 per cent more than the same period of 2022.

The rise in China's aluminum imports is mainly due to Russia sending the metal to the former when Western buyers deliberately avoid Russian aluminum.

In the first half of 2023, China's cumulative primary aluminium imports were 414,243 tonnes - 177.1 per cent higher than the same period last year, showed customs data.

China's bauxite imports in the first seven months of 2023 totalled 84.98 million tonnes, registering an increase of 12.2 per cent from a year earlier, learned customs data.

To know more about China’s anticipated aluminium landscape in 2023 in terms of bauxite or aluminium imports, you may refer to our comprehensive ‘Global Aluminium Industry Outlook 2023’ report.