Chinese truck tire exports reached a record level
In the first half of 2026, according to data from the information and analytics agency Longzhong, China's exports of truck and bus tires reached a record 2.411 million tons, up 3.28% year-on-year. In June, exports amounted to 446,200 tons, increasing by 9.52% compared to May 2026 and by 9.58% compared to June 2025. The average price per ton of product in June was $2,089.90, up 0.43% from May but down 0.47% compared to the same month a year earlier.
Africa became the largest buyer of Chinese truck tires in January–June 2026, accounting for 22.62% of total exports. Volumes shipped to the region reached 545,000 tons, up 27.73% compared to the same period last year. The share of the Middle East, which ranks second, declined to 16.33%, with 393,600 tons shipped—down 23.88% year-on-year.
Latin America, Southeast Asia, and North America each accounted for 10–15% of total export volumes, while Europe accounted for less than 6%. China shipped 90,300 tons of truck tires to the European market, a decrease of 15.41% compared to the first half of 2025.
Analysts note that economic growth and infrastructure development in Africa are driving stable demand for commercial vehicle tires, while regional production capacity remains insufficient to meet this demand. As a result, Chinese companies are rapidly increasing truck tire supplies to the local market, supported by China's zero-tariff trade policy with African countries. Meanwhile, shipments to the Middle East are declining due to the commissioning of new regional production facilities and weakening market demand. As for Europe, the drop in exports is partly due to Chinese manufacturers increasingly fulfilling orders through their overseas production sites.
In the first six months of 2026, China produced approximately 74.75 million truck tires, up 3.78% year-on-year, while factory utilization rose by 3.48 percentage points to 60.88%. Exports of 38.52 million tires accounted for over 52% of total demand, highlighting the importance of foreign markets for Chinese manufacturers. Domestic sales reached about 34.93 million tires, and experts note that, given weak domestic demand and high inventory levels, stable overseas shipments are crucial for maintaining production capacity utilization.
Analysts add that current Chinese truck tire exports are characterized by rising volumes, but products are being sold at low prices, with manufacturers focusing on emerging markets to prevent sales declines. Africa is expected to remain the key market in the second half of the year, although Chinese tire exports may decrease due to order shifts to manufacturers' overseas plants. At the same time, prospects for demand recovery in two traditional markets—the Middle East and Europe—remain limited.
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