China’s December coal imports climbed to a record monthly high, spurred by winter stockpiling and rising domestic prices, even as total imports for the year fell 10%, customs data showed on Wednesday.
Imports in December hit an all-time monthly record of 58.59-million metric tons, according to the General Administration of Customs, rebounding sharply after decline in November caused by supply constraints from major exporters Indonesia, Australia, and Russia.
Buyers typically stock up in preparation for the coldest months of the winter, when demand for heating drives coal consumption up.
Domestic coal prices also rose to a nearly one-year high by late November, a government index showed. That would have pushed buyers to look for less-expensive imported coal.
But full-year 2025 imports remained below 2024’s record-high level because of lower shipments during most of the rest of the year, when generally weak domestic prices and ample supply made imported coal less attractive. China imported a total 490.27-million metric tons in 2025, down 10% from the 2024 record.