China's aluminium imports from Russia hit record high
In February, China purchased Russian aluminium worth 491 million USD (approximately 704 million CAD), setting a record high. Russia's share of China's aluminium imports rose to 36.3 percent, a significant increase from 26.5 percent the previous year.
In February 2025, China increased its import of Russian aluminium to a record 491 million USD (704 million USD). According to "Kommersant," Russia's share of the Chinese aluminium market rose to 36.3 percent, marking a 1.6 times increase compared to the previous year. This is the highest level in the history of bilateral trade exchange.
Besides Russia, the main suppliers of aluminium to China were Malaysia and Thailand, with shares of 11 percent and 10.5 percent, respectively. Overall, Chinese companies increased aluminium imports by 15 percent year over year, reaching a value of 1.35 billion USD (1.9 billion CAD).
Ban on Russian aluminium imports
Meanwhile, the European Union has introduced a ban on Russian aluminium imports, which could impact the global market.
The EU ban covers both primary and processed aluminium with annual import quotas of approximately 275,000 metric tonnes.
Analysts interviewed by "Kommersant" predict that these restrictions will not significantly affect the operations of Rusal, the primary aluminium producer in Russia.
According to Reuters, throughout 2024, Rusal recorded a net profit of 803 million USD (1.15 billion CAD), which is almost a threefold increase from 282 million USD (404 million CAD) in 2023.
