An economist explained the reasons for the growth of titanium exports from Russia to China

The increase in Russian titanium supplies to China is a natural consequence of sanctions imposed by Western countries and the transition of developing economies to high-tech development. Maxim Chirkov, associate professor at the Department of Economic Policy and Economic Measurements of the State University of Russia, told Izvestia on February 10.

Earlier in the day, "Vedomosti" with reference to statistics of the main customs Administration of China reported that sales of Russian titanium to China in 2024 increased by 44% to 3.7 thousand tons.

"The growth of titanium supplies to China is quite expected. Given the sanctions against Russia on high-tech raw materials - titanium, which falls into this category, had to be redirected to friendly markets. China, as the world's largest economy in terms of purchasing power parity, became a natural partner for such supplies," Chirkov explained.

According to him, China is far ahead of the US in terms of GDP calculated in purchasing power parity, making it a key market for Russian exports.

"There is nothing surprising in this growth. China is the number one economy, and it is actively developing high-tech industries, where titanium plays an important role," the expert added.

The economist also noted that another reason for the growth in supplies is the transition of developing countries, including Russia and China, to high-tech growth.

"Titanium is a raw material for high-tech industries. It is used in the production of modern machinery, aviation, space industry and other advanced fields. Given the technological breakthrough in developing countries, the growth of titanium supplies looks absolutely logical," Chirkov summarized.

Before that, on February 5, Chirkov told Izvestia about the consequences of the trade war between the US and China. According to him, it will have a negative impact on the global economy. Russia is not a direct participant in this confrontation, but it may also face certain difficulties, despite the presence of some positive aspects.