Chinese hardwood log imports totalled 7.79 million cubic metres, or 30% of all log imports, a year on year increase of 26% in volume. Hardwood log imports were mainly from PNG (1.77 million cu.m, up 20%), Russia (1.14 million cu.m, up 26%), Solomon Isalnds (1.09 million cu.m, down -7%), Equatorial Guinea (0.54 million cu.m, up 85%), the US (0.34 million cu.m, up 7%), Germany (0.27 million cu.m, up 37%), Mozambique (0.26 million cu.m, down -12%), the Republic of Congo (0.25 million cu.m, up 5%), France (0.25 million cu.m, down -19%) and Cameroon (0.24 million cu.m, down -21%).
Ranked top 10 countries supplying China’s hardwood log imports in the first half of 2016
| Tropical sawnwood imports m3 | 2015/2016 % Change | |
| Thailand | 1.890.000 | 31% |
| Gabon | 142.000 | -16% |
| Indonesia | 131.000 | 9% |
| Phillipines | 130.000 | -16% |
| Malaysia | 113.000 | -15% |
| Laos | 55.000 | -17% |
| Cameroon | 42.000 | -33% |
| Ecuador | 31.000 | 38% |
| Peru | 26.000 | 0% |
| Cambodia | 18.000 | 8% |
Data source: China Customs
Tropical log imports rose 8% to about 4.77 million cubic metres, accounting for 20% of all log imports and 61% of all hardwood log imports.
Ranked top 10 countries supplying China’s tropical log imports in the first half of 2016
| Hardwood log imports m3 | 2015/2016 % Change | |
| PNG | 1.770.000 | 20% |
| Solomon Is. | 1.090.000 | -7% |
| Equatorial Guinea | 540.000 | 85% |
| Republic of Congo | 250.000 | 5% |
| Cameroon | 240.000 | -21% |
| Nigeria | 210.000 | -18% |
| Laos | 130.000 | 2% |
| Ghana | 90.000 | 192% |
| Liberia | 80.000 | 33% |
| Malaysia | 60.000 | -51% |
Data source: China Customs
The average prices for imported softwood logs, hardwood logs and tropical logs were US$112, US$262 and US$395 per cubic metre respectively, down -7%, -16% and -11%. However, the prices for softwood log imports from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and tropical log imports from Liberia rose 5% and 33% respectively
