Despite a drop in import volumes in February due to the New Year holiday, China’s imports year to date of all the polyethylene grades were up by 39% to 63%. Imports at or near record levels in January plus declines in February that were not as steep as in previous years contributed to the strong gains year to date: LDPE, up 63%; LLDPE, up 34%; HDPE, up 39%; EVA, up 39%. Also of note: China’s imports of recycle polyethylene were up 25% through February, to 640,000 tons.