Which Countries Import Excavators and Drilling Equipment from China?
In January–September 2026, Indonesia was the largest destination for China’s 360° revolving excavators and mechanical shovels. It received $1.03B of China’s $9.58B in exports. The largest market for other self-propelled excavators and shovels was Brazil. For non-self-propelled boring and sinking machinery, the UAE led.
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Which countries are the largest markets for each machine?
The rankings use the USD value China Customs recorded for each destination in January–September 2026. The growth column compares exports with the same months of 2025. The split between the two excavator codes matters for importers. A tracked excavator with a fully rotating upper structure falls under HS 842952. HS 842959 covers other self-propelled machines in this group and excludes front-end shovel loaders.
| Equipment and customs code | China exports (USD) | Year-on-year change | Leading destinations, in order |
|---|---|---|---|
| 360° revolving excavators and mechanical shovels (HS 842952) | $9.58B | +24.8% | Indonesia, United States, Vietnam |
| Other self-propelled excavators, shovels and shovel loaders (HS 842959) | $354.17M | +17.83% | Brazil, Mexico, Algeria |
| Non-self-propelled boring or sinking machinery (HS 843049) | $609.14M | +26.15% | UAE, Oman, Nigeria |
| Other self-propelled earthmoving and mining machinery (HS 843050) | $1.01B | +81.54% | Vietnam, Russia, India |
How concentrated are excavator and drilling exports?
Indonesia accounted for 10.8% of China’s revolving excavator and shovel exports. For drilling equipment, the UAE accounted for 31.23% over the same period. In September 2026 alone, the UAE ranked first with 64.01% of that month’s drilling equipment exports. Using the monthly share to size the annual market would give a different picture.
What do Sudan, Australia and the UAE import from China?
For Sudan and Australia, compare the two excavator codes to see which machines account for the change in imports from China. For the UAE, start with HS 843049 for non-self-propelled boring and sinking equipment. HS 843050 covers a wider mix of self-propelled machinery, including mining shovels and oil-production equipment. Combining these lines would conceal the difference in the UAE’s share of each market.
| Destination and product | Share of China’s exports of this product | Change from the same months last year |
|---|---|---|
| Sudan · HS 842952 | 0.26% | +334.7% |
| Sudan · HS 842959 | 0.04% | +33.92% |
| Australia · HS 842952 | 1.48% | +27.44% |
| Australia · HS 842959 | 0.35% | -9.39% |
| United Arab Emirates · HS 843049 | 31.23% | +68,333.41% |
| United Arab Emirates · HS 843050 | 5.27% | -0.13% |
In January–September 2026, China’s revolving excavator exports to Sudan rose 334.7% year on year. Sudan accounted for 0.26% of China’s worldwide exports of those machines. The first figure measures the change along one trade route. The second puts its size in perspective.
Each country link opens the corresponding machine and market. To compare shipments month by month, select the same date range for each code and keep the flow set to China exports.
What the customs figures measure
The source is the General Administration of Customs of China. The figures measure the declared export value in USD. A destination’s share uses China’s exports of that product to all countries as the denominator. A destination may re-export equipment, and its own import statistics can use a different valuation or reporting month. For a count of machines sold overseas by surveyed manufacturers, see the excavator export sales series.
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