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IN FIGURES: Japan accounts for 65% of China’s steel scrap imports in March

China imported 31,496 tonnes of steel scrap in March of 2021, with 20,493 tonnes, or 65.1% coming from Japan, according to the country's General Administration of Customs.

April 22, 2021
By Tianran Zhao
China Ferrous scrap

South Korea was the second-largest scrap supplier to China in March, supplying 6,290 tonnes, about 20% of China’s ferrous scrap imports in the month, with Hong Kong (6.9% of the total) and Malaysia (3.9%) the other significant sources.

China imported 38,602 tonnes of ferrous scrap in the first quarter of 2021, a 1,047% increase on the same period in 2020.

The breakdown of imports in March 2021, according to the Harmonized System (HS) codes, are as follows:

  • Cast iron scrap (HS 72041000): 399 tonnes
  • Other alloy steel scrap (HS 72042900): 10,336 tonnes
  • Other steel scrap (HS 72044900): 20,761 tonnes

China also imported 14,068 tonnes of stainless steel scrap (HS 72042100) in March, with most of that (96%) coming from Malaysia and Japan.

China did not import any tin-coated steel scrap (HS 72043000) or scrap ingot for remelting (HS 72045000) in March.

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