Import and Trade Surplus Expansion in China's E-Cigarette Industry

Jul.04.2022
Import and Trade Surplus Expansion in China's E-Cigarette Industry
China's electronic cigarette industry has a thriving import-export market with a strong supply chain and growing trade surplus.

The central focus of this article is the amount of imported electronic cigarettes in the Chinese industry and the price levels of these imported products.

 

The trade surplus continues to widen.

 

After years of rapid development, the e-cigarette industry in China has created a comprehensive supply chain centered around Guangdong province. With the increasingly global popularity of vaping, China's e-cigarette exports have surged, resulting in a growing trade surplus. In 2021, China's e-cigarette industry recorded a trade surplus of $15.692 billion.

 

From January to April 2022, China's electronic cigarette trade surplus was $4.374 billion.

 

Imports surpass $5.7 billion in 2021.

 

The domestic electronic cigarette industry in China has a highly integrated supply chain, resulting in a surplus of electronic cigarette production compared to market demand. Therefore, overall, the level of import trade in the electronic cigarette industry in China is not high. In 2021, the total import value of the electronic cigarette industry in China was 5.702 billion yuan, an increase of 8.96% compared to 2020.

 

In the first four months of 2022, China's electronic cigarette industry has imported products worth a total of $1.794 billion.

 

The import price of atomization equipment is the highest.

 

Electronic cigarettes account for 73% of imports.

 

Japan is the largest source of imported electronic cigarettes in our country.

 

Looking at the import sources of the electronic cigarette industry in China, Japan is the largest importer of electronic cigarettes to China. In 2021, China imported electronic cigarette-related products from Japan worth over 6.256 billion yuan. Additionally, China imported electronic cigarette-related products from the United States, Taiwan, and Germany, each exceeding 3.5 billion yuan.

 

This article contains excerpts or reprints from third-party sources, which are copyrighted to the original media and author. If there is any infringement, please contact us to delete it. Any unit or individual who needs to reprint should contact the author, and should not reprint directly.

 


Disclaimer

This article is provided solely for professional research, industry discussion, and informational purposes. Any references to brands, companies, products, technologies, or policies are made for factual reporting and analytical purposes only, and do not constitute endorsement, recommendation, promotion, or advertising by 2Firsts.

Nicotine-containing products, including but not limited to cigarettes, e-cigarettes, heated tobacco products, and nicotine pouches, carry significant health risks. Readers are responsible for complying with all applicable laws and regulations in their respective jurisdictions, including age restrictions and access limitations.

The information contained in this article should not be regarded as investment, legal, medical, regulatory, or commercial advice. While 2Firsts strives to ensure the accuracy and reliability of its content, it does not assume liability for any direct or indirect loss arising from errors, omissions, inaccuracies, or reliance on the information contained herein.

This article is not intended for individuals below the legal age for accessing tobacco or nicotine-related information in their jurisdiction.

 

Copyright Notice

This article is either original content produced by 2Firsts or content reproduced, translated, summarized, or adapted from third-party sources with attribution where applicable. The intellectual property rights of the original content remain with 2Firsts or the respective original rights holders.

No individual or organization may copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, modify, translate, or otherwise use this content without prior authorization. Any unauthorized use may result in legal action.

For copyright-related inquiries, corrections, or removal requests, please contact: info@2firsts.com.

 

AI-Assisted Translation and Editing Notice

Portions of this article may have been translated, edited, or reviewed with the assistance of artificial intelligence tools to improve efficiency and readability. Due to the limitations of AI-assisted translation and editing, discrepancies, omissions, or inaccuracies may exist when compared with the original source.

Where applicable, readers are advised to refer to the original source for the most complete and accurate information. If you identify any errors or believe that any content infringes upon your rights, please contact us at info@2firsts.com, and we will review and address the matter promptly.

German Bundestag Passes Tobacco Tax Hikes: Vape Liquid Duty to Reach €0.44/ml, Heated Tobacco Taxes to Rise and Cigarettes Seen Near €12 a Pack
German Bundestag Passes Tobacco Tax Hikes: Vape Liquid Duty to Reach €0.44/ml, Heated Tobacco Taxes to Rise and Cigarettes Seen Near €12 a Pack
Germany's Bundestag passed amendments to the Tobacco Tax Act on October 15, 2026, setting out annual excise tax increases from 2027 through 2030 for e-cigarette liquids, heated tobacco, cigarettes and other tobacco products. Under the Finance Committee's amended bill, duty on qualifying e-liquids will rise from €0.32/ml in 2026 to €0.44/ml in 2030, an increase of 37.5%. Heated tobacco will retain its tax calculation based on 80% of the corresponding cigarette excise duty. The average price of a 20-cigarette pack is projected to approach €12 by 2030, with some brands potentially reaching €14. The legislation is projected to generate approximately €11.8 billion in additional tax revenue over four years and remains subject to further legislative procedures.
Regulations
Oct.19
Philip Morris Malaysia Again Meets Religious Authority Over Cigarette Alternatives as Perlis Mufti Responds on Halal Criteria
Philip Morris Malaysia Again Meets Religious Authority Over Cigarette Alternatives as Perlis Mufti Responds on Halal Criteria
Philip Morris Malaysia Managing Director Naeem Shahab Khan met Perlis Mufti Mohd Asri Zainul Abidin on September 17 and presented the company's shift from conventional cigarettes toward alternative products. The mufti said a product could be considered halal if it is clean, its side effects are not harmful or can be controlled, and it does not involve excessive waste. His remarks did not mention IQOS or any other specific PMI product and did not amount to a new product-specific religious ruling. It was at least the second publicly reported engagement between Philip Morris Malaysia and a Malaysian religious institution over cigarette alternatives within six months.
Regulations
Sep.18 by 2Firsts Perspectives
Sweden Finds ZYN Ingredient Labels Noncompliant Over Generic Flavoring Disclosure, Swedish Match Faces SEK 2 Million Monthly Penalty
Sweden Finds ZYN Ingredient Labels Noncompliant Over Generic Flavoring Disclosure, Swedish Match Faces SEK 2 Million Monthly Penalty
Sweden's Public Health Agency has found ingredient labels on ZYN nicotine pouches sold by Philip Morris International subsidiary Swedish Match to be noncompliant, according to Dagens industri. The products' packaging listed 10 to 13 ingredients, compared with 11 to 42 in regulatory submissions, with multiple flavoring ingredients grouped under the generic term "aromer." The agency ordered corrective action, warning of a conditional penalty of SEK 2 million per month for noncompliance. The order applies only to products manufactured after the decision becomes legally effective and does not require recalls. Swedish Match disputes the agency's interpretation and plans to appeal.
PMI
Oct.22
North Carolina Tightens Vape Product Directory Enforcement, Expands State and Local Powers as Violators Face Fines, Product Seizures and License Suspension or Revocation
North Carolina Tightens Vape Product Directory Enforcement, Expands State and Local Powers as Violators Face Fines, Product Seizures and License Suspension or Revocation
North Carolina has expanded enforcement of its vapor product directory rules, authorizing more state and local law enforcement participation and establishing a task force led by the State Bureau of Investigation. The legislation requires at least one unannounced compliance inspection annually for retailers, distributors and wholesalers handling covered products. Penalties effective October 1, 2026, include civil fines of $500–$750 for a first violation and $1,000–$1,500 for repeated violations within 12 months, along with potential license suspension or revocation. Manufacturers may face penalties of $10,000 per unlisted product. The measures strengthen the product directory system established in 2024.
Regulations
Oct.28
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As Regulators Focus on Nicotine Pouch Child Safety, Safeguard Pursues an External Packaging Route
As regulators pay closer attention to child safety in nicotine pouches, manufacturers face a practical challenge: how to strengthen child-resistant packaging without unnecessarily reworking products, production lines and regulatory submissions already in place. In a written interview with 2Firsts, Chemular detailed Safeguard’s external packaging approach, its customer-specific testing requirements and possible PMTA pathways. The model remains early-stage, but it offers a new way to think about an increasingly important regulatory and manufacturing issue.
Industry Insight
Sep.19
Smoke-Free Business Hits 42% of Q2 Net Revenue as PMI’s First TNFD Report Covers Single-Use Electronics, Critical Raw Materials and IQOS Repairs
Smoke-Free Business Hits 42% of Q2 Net Revenue as PMI’s First TNFD Report Covers Single-Use Electronics, Critical Raw Materials and IQOS Repairs
Philip Morris International has published its first report aligned with the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures, bringing its electronics supply chain and the use and end-of-life stages of smoke-free devices and consumables into its nature-related assessment. PMI said its smoke-free business accounted for about 42% of total net revenues in the second quarter of 2026. The report says non-circular electronic products, particularly single-use items, can increase consumption of limited natural resources and also details an IQOS repair pilot. A 2040 circularity scenario tests assumptions including a 50% reduction in product waste-related costs, 10% raw-material savings and a 25% substitution rate for refurbished products versus new products.
Sep.23