Chinese customs data for the first nine months of 2026 showed a sharp decline in China's exports to Iraq, recording $8.9 billion compared to $13.0 billion for the same period in 2025, a decrease of 31.7%.
The head of the "Iraq Future" Foundation for economic studies and consulting, Manar Al-Obaidi, stated in an analysis published on social media and reviewed by the "Video News Agency" that the greatest damage was focused on capital goods and construction materials, with imports of machinery and equipment dropping by 49%, iron and steel by 56%, steel products by 36%, and electrical equipment by 35%.
He added that imports of excavation and leveling equipment saw a decline of 86%, cranes by 97%, and generators by 64%, emphasizing that these indicators reflect a direct slowdown in investment spending and construction projects within Iraq, noting that air conditioning imports also decreased from $932 million to $367 million, accounting for about 14% of the total decline gap.
In contrast, the economic expert pointed out a notable exception in the vehicle sector, where imports of cars jumped by 84% to reach $635 million, topping the list of imports from China for the first time, while daily consumer goods such as clothing, poultry, and sunflower seeds maintained their levels or saw slight growth.
Al-Obaidi concluded that the data paints a clear picture indicating the continued purchasing power of the Iraqi consumer despite the halt or slowdown of projects, noting that the decline in imports of steel and machinery indicates that public spending on infrastructure has entered a contraction phase without the private sector filling the gap, with the concentration of imports in the top 10 items increasing from 24.5% to 26.9%.