China
Overview of timber sector of China
Total timber production in China, 2025: 139.37 million m³.Which cover commercial roundwood and commercial fuelwood harvested of China. (Source: National Bureau of Statistics, 14th Five-Year Plan Special Forestry Bulletin, June 2026,2025 database )
Total timber import s(China, 2025): 55.445 million m³. Which cover Logs imports: 31.384 million m³, sawn‑timber imports: 24.061 million m³(Source: General Administration of Customs of China, Key Import Commodities Volume‑Value Table, December 2025,2025 database)
Total pulp imports(China,2025): 36.038 million tonnes.(Source: General Administration of Customs of China, Key Import Commodities Volume‑Value Table, December 2025,2025 database)
Export market by products
| Total exports | Main export markets | source | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Furniture |
Total export value of furniture: USD 67.81 billion (2025) |
USA: 22.7% · Top 10 markets: 55.9% | By region: Asia 33.1% · North America 26.0% · Europe 24.7% | Report on Import and Export of China’s Furniture Industry 2025",China National Furniture Association,2025\,2025database |
| PLywood | 8.50 million tonnes (2024) | Philippines 5.80% · UAE 4.88% · UK 4.86% · Saudi Arabia 4.10% · Australia 3.61% · Japan 3.43% · Viet Nam 3.18% · Nigeria 2.91% · Mexico 2.67% · Canada 2.61% | China Wood-Based Panel Industry Report 2025 — CNFPIA (2024 data) |
| FIBREBOARD | 2.76 million tonnes (2024) | Viet Nam 13.27% · Saudi Arabia 12.02% · Mexico 8.67% · Nigeria 8.13% · USA 5.96% · UAE 5.73% · Canada 4.45% · Algeria 2.80% · Australia 2.23% · Uzbekistan 1.92% | China Wood-Based Panel Industry Report 2025 — CNFPIA (2024 data) |
| PARTICLEBOARD | 0.53 million tonnes (2024) | Mongolia 10.05% · Nigeria 8.55% · Chile 6.55% · Viet Nam 5.56% · UAE 4.98% · Saudi Arabia 4.43% · Peru 3.75% · Malaysia 2.71% · Republic of Korea 2.57% · Indonesia 2.12% | China Wood-Based Panel Industry Report 2025 — CNFPIA (2024 data) |
DATA TABLE
| PRODUCT | PRODUCTION (million m3) | IMPORTS (millions m3) |
|---|---|---|
| LOGS |
139,37* |
31,384 |
| sAWNWOOD | / | 24,061 |
| PLYWOOD | 225,62*** | 0,3312 |
| FIBERBOARD | 45,73*** | 0,083 |
| particleboard | 45,86*** | 0.9444 |
| OTHER WOOD BASED PANELS | 31,96*** | 0.0004 |
*Data from National Bureau of Statistics, 14th Five-Year Plan Special Forestry Bulletin, June 2026(2025 database);
**Data from General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC)(2025 database);
***Data from China National Forest Products Industry Association (CNFPIA)(2024 database)
Production and Processing
Highest-volume domestically harvested timber species, 2020–2025 (source: NFGA 2025 Annual Forestry Report; National Forest Resource Monitoring Inventory):
- Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata)
- Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus spp.)
- Masson's pine (Pinus massoniana)
- Poplar (Populus)
- Dahurian larch (Larix gmelinii)
- White birch (Betula platyphylla)
- Oriental oak (Quercus wutaishanica)
- Paulownia (Paulownia fortunei)
- Manchurian ash (Fraxinus mandschurica)
- Ovate catalpa (Catalpa ovata)
- Camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora)
Major imported timber species, 2020–2025 (source: GACC timber trade statistics; FAO):
- Radiata pine, Scots pine (Pinus spp.) – origins: New Zealand, Chile, Spain
- Oak (Quercus spp.) - origins: America, France, Germany
- Rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) – origins: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia
- Ash (Fraxinus spp.) - origins: America, Canada, France
- Birch (Betula spp.) - origins: Finland, Sweden, America
- Walnut (Juglans spp.) - origins: America, Germany, Cameroon
- Aucoumea (Aucoumea klaineana) - origins: Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
China operates a national forest harvesting quota system, relying primarily on fast-growing plantations (e.g., Chinese fir, poplar) due to strict limits on native hardwoods. To bridge the quality hardwood gap, China imports substantial volumes from Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Oceania. The industry focuses on high-value-added processing, with exports consisting mainly of finished products like panels, furniture, and doors.
Where Does the Wood Come From?
Domestically Produced Timber (by Forest-Land Category and Ownership)
|
Category |
Area (million ha) |
Core output species |
Harvest supply characteristics |
|
Arbor forest land |
196.60 |
Chinese fir, larch, Masson’s pine, poplar, Eucalyptus |
Primary timber forest; high-quality conifers have high import dependency; natural forests protected; harvesting mainly from plantations |
|
Bamboo forest land |
6.98 |
Moso bamboo |
Fast-growing; important non-wood forest resource |
Imported Timber (2025, by Source Region Summary)
|
Region |
Volume (×10,000 m³) |
Core species |
Processing uses |
|
Oceania |
2,553.5 |
Radiata pine, blue gum, ironbark, terminalia, pometia |
Plywood, MDF, pulp; flooring, outdoor timber |
|
Southeast Asia |
1,059.1 |
Rubberwood, meranti/lauan, merbau, Myanmar teak, acacia |
Furniture, cabinet; plywood veneer, decking; high-end veneer, crafts |
|
Europe |
611 |
Norway spruce, Scots pine, beech, oak, ash |
Construction timber; high-end furniture, veneer |
|
Americas |
591.6 |
Douglas fir, maple, ash, oak, walnut, eucalypt |
Construction; high-end furniture; flooring |
|
Africa |
518.9 |
Okoumé, sapele, ayous, iroko, bubinga, cherry |
Plywood veneer; doors; decorative veneer, furniture |