Ongoing developments and emerging themes in China continue to significantly impact market dynamics; these key themes are unmistakable to anyone who has traveled in the country in 2018. The economics and competitive advantage of various exporters in the supply chain to China are also changing continually — be it foreign currency exchange rates, ocean freight rates or changing domestic costs, importing and consuming regions are being affected in quite diverse ways. 

At the moment, an expanded presence of Russian lumber in China can be noticed. There has been an ongoing movement away from green lumber (produced in Russia or northern China at the border) to kiln-dried product, component lumber and specialty items.