China TCE and PCE Exports Rise in Early 2026 Despite April Slowdown

China's exports of trichloroethylene (TCE) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) posted year-on-year growth in the first four months of 2026, despite a decline in shipments during April, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs.

In April 2026, China exported 2,000 metric tons of trichloroethylene, down 47.1% from March and 33.8% from a year earlier. However, cumulative exports of trichloroethylene reached 13,000 metric tons in the January-April period, an increase of 21.9% compared with the same period last year.

Exports of tetrachloroethylene totaled 2,000 metric tons in April, up 1.2% from the previous month but down 34.3% year-on-year. For the first four months of 2026, cumulative tetrachloroethylene exports rose to 17,000 metric tons, marking a 68.7% increase from a year earlier.

Analysis of export destinations showed that India remained the largest overseas market for Chinese trichloroethylene during January-April, accounting for 22.2% of total shipments. Japan followed with a 10.8% share, ahead of Russia at 10.5%, Türkiye at 9.3%, and the United States at 8.0%.

For tetrachloroethylene, the United Arab Emirates was by far the leading destination, absorbing 62.6% of China's exports during the four-month period. Russia accounted for 5.0% of shipments, followed by Mexico at 3.4%, Türkiye at 3.2%, and Brazil at 2.5%.