The latest data released by the General Administration of Customs on August 18 show that in July 2026, China's aluminum industry chain exhibited a divergent pattern of "cooling imports and warming exports."

Imports: Declines Across the Board

Aluminum ore and concentrates: July imports totaled 19.04 million tonnes, down 4.6% year-on-year; however, cumulative imports for January–July reached 139.88 million tonnes, still a 13.8% increase year-on-year.

Unwrought aluminum and aluminum products: July imports totaled 280,000 tonnes, a sharp year-on-year drop of 22.0%; cumulative imports for January–July stood at 2.15 million tonnes, down 7.7% year-on-year.

Exports: Strong Growth

Alumina: July exports reached 300,000 tonnes, a sharp year-on-year increase of 33.0%; cumulative exports for January–July totaled 1.91 million tonnes, up 21.7% year-on-year.

Unwrought aluminum and aluminum products: July exports reached 640,000 tonnes, up 18.7% year-on-year; cumulative exports for January–July totaled 4.04 million tonnes, up 16.7% year-on-year.

Key Highlights

Monthly bauxite imports dipped, though cumulative volume remains high: Bauxite imports fell 4.6% year-on-year in July; however, the cumulative volume of 140 million tonnes for the first seven months set a record high for the period, reflecting resilient domestic demand for overseas ore to feed alumina production capacity.

Alumina exports rose: Exports surged 33% year-on-year in July, driven by sustained strong demand from overseas markets for Chinese alumina.

Aluminum product exports maintained rapid growth: Exports of unwrought aluminum and aluminum products continued to grow at a double-digit pace, with China continuing to fill the supply gap for aluminum ingots in overseas markets.

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