China's Lighting Exports Plunge 27.6% in October, Emerging Markets Offer Resilience

China's Lighting Exports Plunge 27.6% in October, Emerging Markets Offer Resilience
 
China’s lighting product exports witnessed a sharp decline in October 2025, with key markets showing divergent trends amid lingering trade headwinds and structural adjustments, according to data from the General Administration of Customs and China Illuminating Engineering Society.
 
October’s lighting export value dropped 27.6% year-on-year to $3.26 billion, marking the steepest plunge in 19 months since March 2024, while the cumulative export from January to October fell 9.7% to $41.3 billion. The US market remained the biggest drag: exports to the US slid 32.1% year-on-year to $690 million in October, with cumulative shipments dropping 20.3% to $8.27 billion, accounting for only 20% of total exports—down from nearly 30% in 2018. Persistently high tariffs and demand fluctuations were cited as primary causes.
 
However, emerging and alternative markets provided crucial support. Exports to the EU stayed stable at $8.3 billion (1-10 months), with Spain, Belgium and Sweden seeing 3%-17% growth. African markets maintained a 5% year-on-year increase, reaching $2.7 billion, as photovoltaic LED lighting gained traction. LED-related products showed structural strength: LED modules exports surged 79% in volume, while photovoltaic LED lighting devices achieved both volume and value growth.
 
The mid-October Sino-US trade talks, which reduced some tariffs to 10% for a year, are expected to ease year-end pressure. Yet industry insiders note that global demand uncertainties and supply chain shifts will keep exports in a downward trend for the fourth consecutive year, urging enterprises to focus on high-value and smart lighting solutions to tap growing green energy demand.