China imports more iron-ore, coal in Q1, but less copper
As a key driver of various commodity market trends and pricing, China’s imports of iron-ore, copper and coal for March and the first quarter of the year varied.
According to customs data cited by Reuters on April 14, China’s iron-ore imports increased by 11.5% year-on-year to 104.7-million tons in March owing to larger shipments from Australia – which experienced minimal weather-related impacts compared with last year – and seasonal restocking among steelmakers in anticipation of better demand.
This compares to 97.6-million tons imported in February and 93.9-million tons imported in March 2025.
On a quarterly basis, China’s iron-ore imports increased by 10.5% year-on-year in the three months ended March 31, reaching 314.7-million tons.
In turn, China’s steel exports decreased by 12.6% in March to 9.14-million tons and by 9.9% year-on-year to 24.7-million tons on a quarterly basis.
Reuters further reports that China’s imports of unwrought copper and copper products decreased by 10.9% year-on-year in March, reaching 416 000 t, while these volumes dropped by 14.2% in the quarter.
China’s coal imports increased by 1% year-on-year in March to 39-million tons. Coal imports also rose by 1.3% year-on-year 116-million tons in the quarter.
