Chinese Steel Exports Surge 41% to Saudi Arabia as Mills Pivot Amid Global Trade Curbs
China’s steelmakers target Saudi demand for 2025, following rising protectionism in traditional markets
Chinese steelmakers are redirecting a growing volume of exports toward Saudi Arabia as global trade restrictions tighten in other regions.
According to customs data compiled by Bloomberg, shipments of Chinese steel to the Kingdom climbed by 41 per cent in the first nine months of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier.
The surge to Saudi Arabia appears to be the largest increase to any major market this year, reflecting both China’s need to offload excess output and the Gulf nation’s infrastructure and construction-driven demand.
With domestic demand in China still weak amid a real-estate slowdown, producers are increasingly focusing on export growth.
Protectionist measures elsewhere — including anti-dumping investigations and tariff actions in Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas — have further pushed Chinese mills to seek new destinations.
Saudi importers provide a timely outlet, aided by relatively open trade access and large steel consumption tied to development projects and refinery expansions.
Despite the rising volume, Chinese export values have not risen in tandem, as producers shift towards lower-value steel products such as billets and coils that face fewer trade barriers.
Analysts warn that Saudi Arabia may become a critical battleground in the global steel trade as China leverages Gulf demand while other markets close off.
The development underlines both China’s pivot toward alternative markets and Saudi Arabia’s evolving role as a hub of demand for global steel flows.
Observers say the Kingdom is now a key destination for exporters navigating mounting protectionism and needing new avenues for growth.
Should the trend continue, it may prompt regional manufacturers to demand stronger safeguards and risk adding further dimensions to global trade friction in the metal sector.
According to customs data compiled by Bloomberg, shipments of Chinese steel to the Kingdom climbed by 41 per cent in the first nine months of 2025 compared with the same period a year earlier.
The surge to Saudi Arabia appears to be the largest increase to any major market this year, reflecting both China’s need to offload excess output and the Gulf nation’s infrastructure and construction-driven demand.
With domestic demand in China still weak amid a real-estate slowdown, producers are increasingly focusing on export growth.
Protectionist measures elsewhere — including anti-dumping investigations and tariff actions in Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas — have further pushed Chinese mills to seek new destinations.
Saudi importers provide a timely outlet, aided by relatively open trade access and large steel consumption tied to development projects and refinery expansions.
Despite the rising volume, Chinese export values have not risen in tandem, as producers shift towards lower-value steel products such as billets and coils that face fewer trade barriers.
Analysts warn that Saudi Arabia may become a critical battleground in the global steel trade as China leverages Gulf demand while other markets close off.
The development underlines both China’s pivot toward alternative markets and Saudi Arabia’s evolving role as a hub of demand for global steel flows.
Observers say the Kingdom is now a key destination for exporters navigating mounting protectionism and needing new avenues for growth.
Should the trend continue, it may prompt regional manufacturers to demand stronger safeguards and risk adding further dimensions to global trade friction in the metal sector.