In May, China exported 632,000 tons of non-rolled aluminum and aluminum products.

Official trade statistics released by the General Administration of Customs of China have outlined distinct market trends for aluminum and copper sectors in the first five months of 2026, offering critical procurement references for global industrial manufacturers. The data reveals a striking market divergence: China’s aluminum export sector maintains strong upward momentum, while the copper import market shows a continuous downward adjustment.

In May 2026, China’s export volume of unwrought aluminum and aluminum semi-finished products reached 632,000 tons. From January to May, the cumulative export volume hit 2.685 million tons, achieving a year-on-year growth of 10.4%. This steady double-digit growth fully demonstrates the strong international market recognition of Chinese aluminum products. Benefiting from China’s complete non-ferrous metal industrial chain, standardized production processes and strict quality control systems, finished aluminum materials have outstanding competitiveness in global engineering, machinery manufacturing and automotive industries.

In sharp contrast, China’s copper import market faces weak market performance. In May, the country imported 446,000 tons of unwrought copper and copper materials. The January-May total import volume stood at 2.013 million tons, a 7.0% year-on-year decrease. Meanwhile, the import of copper ore and concentrates also declined slightly, with a five-month cumulative volume of 12.275 million tons, down 1.0% year on year. The shrinking import of upstream copper raw materials has led to tightening supply and rising comprehensive costs for downstream copper products.

This significant market gap makes aluminum a more cost-effective and stable alternative metal material for global bulk procurement. As a professional manufacturer and exporter, we specialize in high-quality aluminum sheets, aluminum bars, aluminum tubes and customized aluminum CNC machining services.

Supported by China’s booming aluminum export capacity, we maintain sufficient inventory, flexible customized specifications and stable delivery cycles. We strictly implement international industry standards to provide high-precision, corrosion-resistant and high-strength aluminum products. For global buyers seeking reliable long-term metal suppliers, our cost-effective aluminum materials can effectively reduce procurement costs and stabilize production supply chains amid fluctuating non-ferrous metal markets.