Import Trade Values by Commodity 2025 Overview
Analytical Summary
China’s 2025 import structure shows a continued shift toward technology-intensive and strategically important commodities. Mechanical and electrical products remained the largest reported commodity group, with import value exceeding USD 1.03 trillion across all trade modes. High-tech products also recorded broad-based growth, supported by stronger demand for integrated circuits, automatic data-processing equipment, aircraft and selected semiconductor components.
General trade remained the principal import channel, accounting for roughly half of the reported value. Bonded logistics represented more than one-quarter, highlighting the importance of bonded zones, warehousing, redistribution and supply-chain processing in China’s import system. Processing trade remained particularly significant for integrated circuits and other electronic components, reflecting China’s role in global manufacturing and assembly networks.
Integrated circuits were the most strategically important individual product category. Their value increased across all four trade modes, including 13.1% growth under general trade and 9.0% under bonded logistics. Imports of automatic data-processing equipment also rose sharply under general trade, while aircraft imports expanded strongly through processing trade and bonded logistics.
Energy and bulk commodity imports presented a mixed picture. Crude-oil import values declined under general trade despite higher activity through processing trade and bonded logistics, indicating a reallocation between trade channels and the effect of weaker prices. Coal and lignite imports fell substantially in value, while natural-gas imports also contracted. Iron-ore volumes increased under general trade, but import value declined, suggesting lower average prices.
Agricultural imports weakened overall. The aggregate value of agricultural products declined under general and processing trade, although bonded logistics and other trade recorded moderate growth. Soybean volumes increased, but their general-trade value declined, again pointing to lower unit prices. Grain, meat and fruit imports showed divergent trends, with fruit imports expanding under general trade while grain imports contracted across all trade modes.
Several industrial raw materials performed strongly. Copper ores and concentrates recorded value growth across the principal trade modes, particularly processing trade and bonded logistics. Natural and synthetic rubber also increased in both volume and value. By contrast, plastics, steel, timber and textile-related imports generally declined.
Overall, the data indicate that China’s import demand in 2025 was increasingly concentrated in semiconductors, digital equipment, aerospace products and selected industrial inputs, while traditional energy, agricultural and construction-related commodities experienced weaker or more price-sensitive performance. The figures should be interpreted as selected commodity data rather than a complete measure of national imports, and broad categories overlap with some of their listed subcategories.
Key Metrics (Number + Title)
- 3.71 trillion USD — Total Import Value (selected commodity rows, all trade modes)
- 1.87 trillion USD — General Trade Import Value (approximately 50.4% share)
- 969.6 billion USD — Bonded Logistics Import Value (approximately 26.1% share)
- 1.04 trillion USD — Mechanical & Electrical Products Import Value (largest reported commodity group)
Major Import Commodities by Trade Mode
| Product | Unit | General Trade | Processing Trade | Bonded Logistics | Other Trade | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Value (USD ’000) | Quantity | Value (USD ’000) | Quantity | Value (USD ’000) | Quantity | Value (USD ’000) | ||
| Agricultural products* | — | — | 180,933,719.081 | — | 7,410,024.102 | — | 17,419,210.557 | — | 1,645,874.189 |
| YoY change | — | -4.3% | — | -2.7% | — | 2.7% | — | 8.1% | |
| Meat (including offal) | 10,000 tons | 570.9 | 21,895,041.665 | 12.83 | 308,352.291 | 24.759 | 941,445.34 | 0.163 | 4,517.167 |
| YoY change | -10.2% | -2.1% | 5.0% | 28.9% | 37.3% | 24.9% | -73.2% | -73.8% | |
| Fresh & dried fruits/melons and nuts | 10,000 tons | 876.562 | 18,152,198.785 | 4.854 | 296,387.31 | 18.042 | 795,907.269 | 8.724 | 191,997.038 |
| YoY change | 16.1% | 4.5% | -24.7% | -14.5% | -35.8% | -35.2% | -25.2% | -26.6% | |
| Grain | 10,000 tons | 13,103.268 | 55,566,981.663 | 555.813 | 2,399,049.882 | 346.143 | 1,520,292.959 | 51.086 | 204,319.188 |
| YoY change | -9.6% | -13.7% | -30.1% | -7.9% | -15.7% | -12.6% | -13.1% | -14.3% | |
| Soybeans | 10,000 tons | 10,340.506 | 46,539,639.93 | 472.145 | 2,137,916.258 | 333.691 | 1,480,539.753 | 36.908 | 169,137.653 |
| YoY change | 4.3% | -6.7% | 85.7% | 71.4% | 14.0% | 3.9% | -9.4% | -13.5% | |
| Edible vegetable oil | 10,000 tons | 574.17 | 7,223,005.038 | 3.994 | 47,012.224 | 112.697 | 1,311,848.239 | 2.747 | 27,884.484 |
| YoY change | -11.6% | 7.6% | 101.9% | 76.3% | 80.4% | 98.3% | 40.9% | 59.8% | |
| Iron ores and concentrates | 10,000 tons | 117,041.381 | 114,263,221.124 | 20.169 | 23,310.008 | 8,158.715 | 8,370,560.15 | 650.666 | 397,776.241 |
| YoY change | 3.2% | -5.9% | 5.3% | 2.5% | -14.7% | -20.9% | 6.6% | -6.3% | |
| Copper ores and concentrates | 10,000 tons | 1,477.834 | 40,523,372.568 | 892.869 | 24,782,307.628 | 660.29 | 17,694,635.816 | 0.041 | 449.123 |
| YoY change | -4.3% | 9.1% | 39.0% | 53.5% | 6.3% | 25.9% | 311.1% | 178.8% | |
| Coal and lignite | 10,000 tons | 45,529.226 | 33,957,452.971 | — | — | 550.482 | 635,468.438 | 2,947.248 | 1,576,789.421 |
| YoY change | -10.1% | -30.2% | — | — | -13.9% | -31.4% | -1.3% | -36.4% | |
| Crude oil | 10,000 tons | 36,923.216 | 190,540,412.938 | 5,297.573 | 27,558,153.005 | 15,551.851 | 78,408,221.511 | — | — |
| YoY change | -7.8% | -19.5% | 56.5% | 37.1% | 30.9% | 14.6% | — | — | |
| Refined oil products | 10,000 tons | 2,381.717 | 14,476,600.401 | 14.605 | 159,330.287 | 1,845.434 | 9,368,407.373 | 0.018 | 1,316.292 |
| YoY change | 15.9% | 4.4% | 27.3% | 14.6% | -33.0% | -38.9% | -20.2% | 2.5% | |
| Natural gas | 10,000 tons | 12,362.403 | 54,461,523.916 | 0 | 2.324 | 424.128 | 2,280,456.065 | — | — |
| YoY change | -2.1% | -12.6% | — | — | -19.7% | -21.8% | — | — | |
| Rare earths | tons | 56,704.305 | 660,804.2 | 1,189.321 | 84,921.636 | 8,381.472 | 201,562.526 | 34,786.875 | 853,649.585 |
| YoY change | -36.5% | -5.4% | 35.1% | 46.4% | 530.7% | 339.6% | -16.0% | 13.1% | |
| Medicinal materials and medicines | tons | 266,424.079 | 14,293,814.12 | 6,119.062 | 2,014,244.326 | 83,301.193 | 32,272,004.341 | 7,847.818 | 759,060.839 |
| YoY change | -10.7% | -5.5% | -14.0% | 140.4% | -3.4% | -7.5% | -18.5% | -1.1% | |
| Fertilizers | 10,000 tons | 1,055.213 | 3,671,667.647 | 0 | 6.973 | 83.72 | 273,657.487 | 261.987 | 876,154.439 |
| YoY change | 4.0% | 9.5% | -67.4% | -66.8% | -65.0% | -63.9% | 66.9% | 92.8% | |
| Beauty, cosmetics, and personal care products | tons | 184,746.557 | 8,134,435.204 | 5,570.908 | 164,339.442 | 155,510.658 | 6,963,504.642 | 2,267.323 | 919,179.27 |
| YoY change | 5.9% | -1.3% | 9.9% | 13.3% | 8.9% | 0.5% | -8.3% | -9.1% | |
| Plastics in primary forms | 10,000 tons | 2,120.892 | 30,269,497.352 | 332.333 | 5,156,204.475 | 229.547 | 4,236,201.485 | 1.239 | 62,616.713 |
| YoY change | -6.8% | -9.0% | -12.9% | -18.1% | -3.6% | 0.8% | -9.1% | 50.8% | |
| Natural and synthetic rubber (including latex) | 10,000 tons | 529.056 | 10,016,647.511 | 146.077 | 2,681,654.36 | 176.212 | 3,144,565.943 | 1.164 | 15,005.766 |
| YoY change | 21.7% | 29.3% | 0.7% | 3.9% | 19.8% | 25.2% | -65.5% | -47.3% | |
| Logs and sawn timber | 10,000 m³ | 5,214.029 | 10,488,175.31 | 26.932 | 93,226.131 | 22.859 | 65,596.468 | 280.678 | 570,179.548 |
| YoY change | -11.1% | -13.4% | -12.3% | -11.6% | -37.3% | -28.3% | -19.3% | -19.7% | |
| Wood pulp | 10,000 tons | 2,803.689 | 16,974,467.09 | 507.76 | 2,767,663.657 | 291.951 | 2,124,391.655 | 0.406 | 2,376.523 |
| YoY change | 5.6% | -2.2% | 3.9% | -5.0% | 0.6% | -0.5% | -21.2% | -13.9% | |
| Textile yarns, fabrics and articles | — | — | 6,116,401.887 | — | 2,732,871.976 | — | 1,064,056.929 | — | 60,237.89 |
| YoY change | — | -8.0% | — | -9.5% | — | -3.4% | — | -3.8% | |
| Steel products | 10,000 tons | 408.109 | 6,795,076.438 | 171.814 | 2,690,241.263 | 24.887 | 736,119.954 | 1.072 | 53,592.71 |
| YoY change | -9.2% | -10.5% | -14.5% | -9.6% | -17.9% | -18.3% | 50.5% | 33.4% | |
| Unwrought copper and copper products | tons | 2,981,181.409 | 29,855,242.116 | 849,406.936 | 9,220,729.819 | 1,486,317.652 | 14,980,411.704 | 3,763.503 | 37,238.767 |
| YoY change | -14.8% | -9.0% | 23.1% | 29.6% | -0.5% | 6.2% | 174.3% | 132.6% | |
| Mechanical & electrical products* | — | — | 432,832,144.044 | — | 306,339,608.712 | — | 283,273,006.227 | — | 12,860,315.136 |
| YoY change | — | 1.9% | — | 8.6% | — | 6.2% | — | 20.8% | |
| Machine tools | units | 55,297 | 5,292,342.927 | 157 | 13,142.756 | 15,298 | 475,915.054 | 1,502 | 92,505.925 |
| YoY change | 10.0% | 3.6% | 4.0% | 46.9% | -15.2% | -26.9% | 12.9% | 13.4% | |
| Automatic data processing equipment and parts | — | — | 38,932,211.875 | — | 13,467,441.401 | — | 41,388,927.739 | — | 256,920.12 |
| YoY change | — | 47.9% | — | 17.3% | — | -0.2% | — | 0.5% | |
| Diodes and similar semiconductor devices | 100 million units | 1,957.604 | 10,548,276.83 | 1,663.893 | 6,352,598.662 | 1,423.045 | 7,189,487.75 | 10.911 | 320,480.003 |
| YoY change | 1.4% | 0.3% | -13.5% | -1.9% | 15.0% | 10.3% | 152.3% | 479.4% | |
| Integrated circuits | 100 million units | 2,567.23 | 122,779,326.546 | 2,328.594 | 161,942,239.383 | 1,005.238 | 138,759,185.632 | 15.856 | 852,646.837 |
| YoY change | 5.8% | 13.1% | 6.1% | 8.8% | 17.7% | 9.0% | 43.1% | 32.4% | |
| Motor vehicles (including chassis) | 10,000 vehicles | 40.911 | 19,171,966.635 | 0.182 | 149,761.58 | 6.447 | 4,283,725.35 | 0.094 | 36,213.618 |
| YoY change | -30.8% | -37.3% | 16.5% | 17.4% | -41.9% | -49.3% | -1.4% | -2.0% | |
| Auto parts | — | — | 18,040,684.355 | — | 1,981,021.746 | — | 1,053,949.478 | — | 50,932.221 |
| YoY change | — | -22.5% | — | -11.4% | — | -19.0% | — | -12.2% | |
| Aircraft with empty weight > 2 tons | aircraft | 28 | 981,819.48 | 18 | 2,781,870.88 | 161 | 9,896,829.146 | 8 | 379,288.617 |
| YoY change | 16.7% | -3.9% | 28.6% | 56.8% | 50.5% | 69.6% | -33.3% | -27.1% | |
| LCD flat panel display modules | 10,000 units | 51,124.663 | 1,596,520.083 | 56,110.538 | 8,214,933.983 | 7,008.214 | 993,006.923 | 40.935 | 21,737.828 |
| YoY change | — | -12.8% | — | -11.2% | — | -28.6% | — | 43.4% | |
| Medical instruments and apparatus | — | — | 4,186,189.677 | — | 281,341.48 | — | 7,962,560.585 | — | 40,874.702 |
| YoY change | — | -11.2% | — | 0.6% | — | 6.2% | — | 22.2% | |
| High-tech products* | — | — | 302,033,238.485 | — | 242,228,982.492 | — | 268,081,840.268 | — | 10,198,397.832 |
| YoY change | — | 10.5% | — | 9.0% | — | 7.6% | — | 28.5% | |
Notes:
1) “Processing Trade” refers to the sum of “Processing with supplied materials” and “Processing with imported materials” (Table 5; same below). “Bonded Logistics” includes “Goods entering/leaving bonded customs supervision sites” and “Logistics goods in special customs supervision areas.” “Other Trade” is the total of all trade modes not listed above.
2) Product items are consistent with the key imported commodities table in the Customs Statistics Bulletin. For HS code coverage, see the “Statistics” section of China Customs (www.customs.gov.cn).
