GACC: China's stainless exports, imports both plunge in Jan-Feb

China's stainless steel imports and exports both posted sharp declines during the first two months of 2026, with exports weighed down by tighter trade policies at home and overseas as well as high-base effects.

In the January-February period, China's stainless steel exports totaled roughly 492,678 tonnes, plummeting by 262,700 tonnes or 34.8% year-on-year, according to new data released by the General Administration of Customs (GACC). The GACC combines its January-February foreign trade data in its March releases, as the Chinese New Year holiday