This study analyzes trends in China's forest product imports between 1997 and 2003 by both product segment and ports of entry. The same information is provided for each of the main Asia-Pacific countries supplying China. A high growth was experienced in China's forest product imports between 1997 and 2003 in both timber products and pulp and paper. Logs, lumber, and pulp are the most rapidly growing import segments as China moves towards handling more of the processing of forest products itself. Forest-rich countries in the Asia-Pacific region are playing an increasingly important role in supplying China's expanding demand.

Ocean ports in the Shanghai-Jiangsu and South China regions have maintained their leading role in the forest product trade. These have been joined more recently, and in some cases surpassed, by inland ports in Northeast China, which have been catapulted to leading roles by the booming border trade with Russia.