A slow economy, weak domestic demand and the availability of new capacity are reflected in China’s polymer trade. Through August, China imported 15.9 million tons of commodity polymers, unchanged from the same period last year and substantially lower than in earlier periods; exported growing volumes, with 9.9 million tons shipped through August, up 27%; and, shipped a record 12.5 million tons of identifiable plastic products, up 17%. Commodity polymers include polyolefins, styrenics, vinyl polymers and PET.

China’s imports of commodity polymers, the majority of which are polyolefins, have been low for over four years, from 2021. Of the 15.9 million tons imported through August 2024, polyethylene was 11.0 million tons, up 3%; polypropylene was 2.6 million tons, down 9%.

China’s exports of commodity polymrs have trended unevenly higher for over four years. Of the 9.9 million tons exported August 2024 YTD, PET was the largest volume, 4.5 million tons, up 30%, followed by vinyl polymers, 2.0 million tons, up 7%, polypropylene, 1.7 million tons, up 87%, and polyethylene, 1.1 million tons, up 8%.

There are a number of fabricated products that can be identified as made entirely from plastic, either using a specific polymer or mixtures of polymers. China exported 12.5 million tons of these products through August, up 17%. These include large volume single plastic products like polyethylene bags/sacks, pe/pp/ps/pvc or pet film/sheet and PVC floor/wall coverings.Also included are large volumes of mixed plastic products, like boxes, buckets, stoppers, tableware, housewares and many others. The much larger volumes of plastics used in combination with other materials or as packing are not included. The graph shows the climb in China’s exports to record levels after the Chinese New Year slowdown in February.

China shipped 2.8 million tons of fabricated plastic products to United States, 23% of the export total of 12.5 million tons.

From International Trader Publications’ China Polymer Trade Report, a monthly analysis of China’s imports and exports of virgin commodity polymers, and all identifiable plastic products.