With China’s aluminium production cap being at 45 million tonnes and the strengthening demand trends, especially from sectors like construction and transportation, it is evident as China's unwrought aluminium and its product imports in July 2025 recorded a 38.2 per cent year-on-year surge, as per the customs data revealed on Monday.
China’s imports of aluminium and its products
As of July, the total imports from the world's top consumer alone stood at 360,000 tonnes, which directly links with the rising demand in the region from various allied industries.
July's inflows pushed China's cumulative imports of unwrought aluminium and related products to 2.33 million tonnes for the first seven months of 2025, reflecting a 1.5 per cent year-on-year increase.
China's aluminium output in July rose 1.05 per cent year-on-year and 3.11 per cent month-on-month, supported by new Phase II replacement capacity in Shandong–Yunnan.
However, alloy production declined due to subdued end-user demand, driving the share of liquid aluminium down 2.06 percentage points MoM to 73.77 per cent. Casting ingot production reached an estimated 976,300 tonnes, down 9.34 per cent year-on-year but up 11.89 per cent month-on-month.
As of the end of July, China's aluminium capacity stood at 45.69 million tonnes, with 43.9 million tonnes operational. Commissioning of replacement projects and resumed output in Chongqing slightly lifted operating rates.
China’s bauxite imports
Alongside aluminium, China's bauxite imports, which are deemed to be vital for aluminium production, also climbed 34.2 per cent year-on-year in July to 20.06 million tonnes. Cumulative inflows for January to July 2025 reached 123.26 million tonnes, up 33.7 per cent from the same period last year, reinforcing supply security for the nation's aluminium production capacity.
China’s alumina exports
As per the data revealed by the Chinese customs, alumina exports reached 230,000 tonnes in July 2025, a 56.4 per cent year-on-year rise. Cumulative shipments for January to July totalled 1.57 million tonnes, representing a 64.3 per cent increase over the same period last year.
Key catalysts of the surge
Rising import volumes mirror China's sustained industrial momentum, with aluminium underpinning sectors from construction to transportation. Consistent bauxite inflows further stabilise domestic production, enabling manufacturers to maintain output for both domestic consumption and export markets.
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