China’s imports October YTD showed particularly strong gains on imports of ethylene-alpha-olefins copolymers (LLDPE) and styrenic polymers, versus the same period in 2017. Only imports of PVC were down.

Imports of LDPE/HDPE totaled 8.1 million tons, up 13%. EAOC (LLDPE) imports were 3.6 million tons, up 44%; polypropylene homopolymer, 2.7 million tons, up 4%; all styrenic polymers, 3.2 million tons, up 28% of which ABS was 1.7 million tons, up 17%. PVC imports dropped 8%, to 760,000 tons.

Although China stopped publishing detailed statistics showing country of origin, these are visible from trading partner exports in International Trader Publications’ World Trade Reports on each product.