China’s paper industry continued a combined strategy of production shutdowns and price increases in June 2026, with containerboard and corrugated paper prices rising against the usual off-season trend, according to 36Kr citing a Galaxy Securities research note. In early June, Nine Dragons Paper raised prices by RMB 50–100 per tonne across its 10 major bases, followed in mid-June by 21 companies that lifted prices by RMB 50–200 per tonne, a scale and range described as rare for the past three years’ off-season.
In the second week of June, average prices for containerboard and corrugated paper rose by RMB 35 per tonne and RMB 48 per tonne, respectively, while corrugating medium prices were up about 11% from their April low. For cultural paper and white cardboard, mills including Chenming, Sun Paper and APP raised prices by RMB 200 per tonne from June 20 for coated paper, uncoated woodfree paper and white cardboard products.