China's vehicle imports fell 18.6% in May

China imported 38,000 complete vehicles in May 2026, marking an 18.6% year-on-year decline, according to data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), based on customs statistics. While the monthly import volume decreased compared to the previous year, it saw a 40.4% increase from April 2026.

The import value for May reached $1.79 billion (approximately 12.15 billion RMB). This figure represents a 25.0% decrease compared to May 2025, despite a 36.7% month-on-month increase.

For the first five months of 2026, total vehicle imports stood at 163,000 units, a 10.6% decrease from the same period in 2025. The import value during this period was $7.54 billion (approximately 51.16 billion RMB), down 19.2% year-on-year.

In the full year of 2025, China's complete vehicle imports had fallen by 32.4% to 476,000 units, with import value dropping 39.7% to $23.64 billion.