Chinese customs data for the first nine months of 2026 shows China's trade with 23 MENA nations fell 12% to $329.3 billion, largely driven by a 38.6% drop in crude oil imports. Despite overall regional import contractions, the UAE remained the leading global destination for Chinese electrified vehicles at $3.9 billion and purchased nearly half of all Chinese phone shipments to the region.
China's crude oil imports from the Gulf rose 25.7 percent month on month to 13.8 million tonnes in September, marking a third consecutive monthly increase. According to Kpler, shipments from the region are projected to surpass 5 million barrels per day in October, nearing pre-conflict levels. The rebound follows domestic inventory drawdowns and active bidding by Chinese refiners for crude from Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq.
China's aluminum foil exports reached 128,200 tonnes in September 2026, marking the second-highest monthly volume of the year according to customs data analyzed by Shanghai Metals Market (SMM). The 6.8% month-on-month increase was propelled by sharp demand rebounds from the UAE and Mexico. Cumulative exports for the first nine months reached 1.0527 million tonnes, up 3.8% year-on-year.
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