A 56% decline in China’s softwood sawlog imports between 2021 and 2024 was driven in large part by its weakened economy, compounded by supply-side constraints including Russia’s 2022 log export ban and Central Europe’s spruce bark beetle infestation. With a high dependence on New Zealand logs making it vulnerable to future shortages, China is also shifting towards sustainable, engineered wood construction practices while exploring the construction potential of its domestic timber resource. …China’s domestic timber resource is not close to meeting the country’s substantial demand for wood. There are also challenges in dispelling some negative perceptions about wood construction among the Chinese public and some builders. …However, with continued investment in timber plantations and research under way on the use of engineered wood in large buildings as well as finding practical, low-cost solutions for rural housing, domestic timber likely has the potential to play a bigger role in the Chinese construction sector in future.