BEIJING, March 10 (Reuters) - China's iron ore imports in the first two months of 2026 climbed 10% from a year earlier, customs data showed on Tuesday, thanks to stronger exports from major supplier Australia and higher domestic demand.
The world's largest iron ore consumer brought in 210.02 million metric tons of the key steelmaking ingredient in January and February, up from 191.36 million tons a year earlier.
The growth was mainly attributable to strong December exports from Australia as there were fewer weather-related disruptions than a year earlier, said Alexis Ellender, an analyst at ship-tracking firm Kpler.
China combines import data for January and February to smooth out the impact of the week-long Lunar New Year holiday, which fell in February this year.
Better domestic demand also supported higher iron ore imports, analysts said.
The average daily hot metal output, a gauge of iron ore demand, rose by 1.2% from a year earlier in the first two months of 2026, data from consultancy Mysteel showed.
The January-to-February number works out to a monthly average of 105.01 million tons, compared to 119.65 million tons in December.
Kpler's Ellender expects March imports to be nearly 105 million tons.
China's steel exports in the first two months slid by 8.1% from a year earlier to 15.59 million tons, as export licence requirements slowed shipments.
In December, Beijing unveiled a plan to roll out a licence system from 2026 to regulate exports of the metal, as robust shipments have fuelled a growing protectionist backlash worldwide.
Reporting by Amy Lv and Lewis Jackson; Editing by Christopher Cushing and Thomas Derpinghaus
Source: Reuters