China reduced tire exports for the first time in 10 years
According to data from the Chinese customs, in June 2025, the country exported 820,000 tons of rubber tires, which is 6.9% less than a year earlier, and the value of the delivered products decreased by 6.7%, to 14.396 billion yuan (2.01 billion dollars). 60.31 million tires were delivered, and the decrease was 7.3%, and according to industry experts, this is the first decline in the monthly export volume in the last ten years, which "indicates serious problems that the Chinese tire industry is currently facing".
As a result of January-June, the dynamics of Chinese tire exports remain positive, and during the reporting period, 4.71 million tons of tires were delivered abroad, which is 4.5% more than in the first half of 2024. In total, China exported 349 million tires over the six months, increasing deliveries by 5.5%. At the same time, the indicators of companies from the province of Shandong, which is the main tire exporter in China, decreased. The total export volume of tires from the province in the first half of the year was 45.89 billion yuan (6.4 billion dollars), which is a decrease of 0.3%.
As reported by the Chinese National Bureau of Statistics, in June 2025, 102.479 million tires were produced in the country, which is 1.1% less than in the same period last year, and the decline is observed for the second month in a row. Over the first six months of the year, China increased tire production by 2%, to 591.668 million units, but the growth rate continues to decline.
Local media note that the Chinese tire industry has been steadily developing in recent years, despite the fact that many countries of the world have imposed additional duties on tires from the PRC. However, since trade barriers continue to emerge, the country has gradually begun to increase the surplus of production, which worsens the situation in the industry. One of the main ways for manufacturers to bypass barriers has been the opening of factories abroad, but the US tariff policy pursued by the administration of Donald Trump has had a negative impact on the profitability of enterprises outside of China, so, as analysts emphasize, "only by constantly improving the quality of goods and services, companies will be able to ensure their competitiveness in the long term".
Photo: Tirechina.net