China ended 2015 with imports of polyolefins up 10% from 2014. Imports of HDPE and EVA were particularly strong, up 12% and 27%, respectively.  In addition to higher volumes from the Middle East and Asia-Pacific, supplies from North America and Latin America rose sharply.

China imported 11.2 million tons of polyolefins in 2015, up 10%. Imports by polymer were: LDPE, 2.2 million tons, up 6%; LLDPE, 2.6 million tons, up 4%; HDPE, 5.1 million tons, up 12%; and EVA, 892,000 tons, up 27%.

The Middle East continued as the largest supplier, providing 5.2 million tons, up 11%, followed by Asia-Pacific sources, 4.6 million tons, up 7%. Although volumes were smaller, imports from North America jumped 29%, to 681,000 tons and supplies from Latin America surged 86%, to 163,000 tons.

Among individual suppliers, there were particularly large percentage gains on polyolefin imports from UAE, the US, Canada and Brazil. Imports from the top three suppliers, Iran, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, were up 2% to 7%.

From: International Trader Publications’ 2015 China Polymer World Trade Report