China's Ethylene Trade Statistics (January–May 2025)

Imports:

In May 2025, China imported 224,700 metric tons of ethylene, marking a month-on-month increase of 8.56% and a year-on-year rise of 12.55%. From January to May 2025, cumulative ethylene imports reached 1.081 million metric tons, reflecting a significant year-on-year growth of 39.20%.

Exports:

In contrast, China's ethylene exports in May 2025 amounted to only 25 metric tons, plunging 99.42% month-on-month despite a 25.35% year-on-year increase. Over the first five months of 2025, cumulative ethylene exports stood at 15,100 metric tons, down 47.68% compared to the same period in 2024.

Import Structure & Sources (Jan–May 2025):

China's ethylene imports were primarily conducted under general trade (81.36%) and processing trade (18.64%). The key supplying regions were:

South Korea: 759,300 metric tons (70.24% of total imports)

Japan: 208,100 metric tons (19.26%)

Oman: 65,900 metric tons (6.09%)

Export Destinations (Jan–May 2025):

All ethylene exports were facilitated through general trade, with the main markets being:

Indonesia: 7,200 metric tons (47.81% of total exports)

Pakistan: 4,300 metric tons (28.31%)

Taiwan region of China: 3,500 metric tons (23.22%)