China’s primary and semi-finished aluminium imports surged in March, while scrap imports dipped by 39.5pc on import quota restrictions. China has been the largest producer and exporter of aluminium. Imports of the metal rose in March since downstream industries were shut due to the spread of COVID-19.
| China scrap imports | Mar-20 | Mar-19 | % change |
| Aluminium scrap | 76,674 | 125,847 | -39 |
| US | 15,590 | 39,638 | -60 |
| Hong Kong | 14,840 | 11,518 | 28.8 |
| Malaysia | 11,914 | 5,532 | 115.4 |
| Aluminium + articles | 121,025 | 35,420 | 241.7 |
| Korea | 24,122 | 5,803 | 315.7 |
| Malaysia | 23,674 | 2,841 | 733.3 |
| Japan | 9,982 | 10,454 | -4.5 |
| Aluminium alloy | 83,214 | 7,237 | 1050 |
| Malaysia | 23,483 | 2,780 | 744 |
| South Korea | 12,998 | 847 | 1434 |
| Italy | 6,488 | 0 | – |
| China scrap imports | Mar-20 | Mar-19 | % change |
| Copper scrap | 90,252 | 101,612 | -11.2 |
| Malaysia | 15,266 | 16,040 | -4.8 |
| Japan | 14,592 | 9,045 | 61.3 |
| UK | 7,926 | 9,958 | -20.4 |
| Refined copper | 281,694 | 279,629 | 0.7 |
| Chile | 94,367 | 81,260 | 16.1 |
| Kazhakstan | 25,349 | 26,709 | -5.1 |
| Congo | 23,224 | 10,396 | 123.4 |
| Semi-finished copper | 9,946 | 2,076 | 379 |
| Pakistan | 6,459 | 1,394 | 363 |
| India | 695 | 0 | – |
| Thailand | 507 | 0 | – |