China sees surge in synthetic rubber exports

Beijing – China’s synthetic rubber exports surged 25% year-on-year in 2020 to reach to 200,000 tonnes, according to the China Synthetic Rubber Industry Association. 

Butadiene rubber had the largest export volume with over 70,000 tonnes shipped. Styrene-butadiene rubber was in the second place with almost 50,000 tonnes, more than doubled from a year ago.

China imported 1.4 million tonne synthetic rubber in 2020, up 11% on 2019, according to the industry association.

Styrene-butadiene rubber had the largest import volume, at nearly 400,000 tonnes, followed by butadiene rubber and butyl rubber, both close to 300,000 tonnes.

Last year China also imported 3.5 million tonne ‘mixed rubber,’ a mixture of natural rubber and synthetic rubber, up by a third from 2019, said the association.

Natural rubber imports in 2020 fell by 9% year on year, to 1.7 million tonnes, it said. Natural latex imports climbed 3%, to 570,000 tonnes. Synthetic latex imports shot up by 14%, to 213,000 tonnes.