China’s Mongolian coking coal demand seen higher in 2026 on blending, supply curbs in Commodity News 22/06/2026 The first part of this Ferrous Series provides an updated visualization of steel decarbonization efforts being undertaken across the Asia-Pacific. The second piece takes a closer look at Japan’s green transformation, while the third examines how differing interpretations of carbon accounting have emerged to comply with CBAM. The fourth report looks at Simandou’s export ramp-up and its impact on iron ore markets, while the fifth explores how the Mongolia-China coking coal trade has evolved. In the final piece, we interview an executive at coking coal trading company E-Commodities. China’s imports of Mongolian coking coal are set to rise further in 2026, driven by sustained cost advantages, structural blending demand and tightening domestic supply following safety inspections, according to industry analysts. Mongolian material has emerged as a core component in China’s coking coal mix, particularly for inland steel hubs, with volumes to rise from already elevated levels seen in 2025, JinSong Tang, head of coking coal at JSL Global Commodities, said in an interview. China imported 60.07 million metric tons of Mongolian coking coal in 2025, accounting for China’s 51% of annual met coal imports, according to the China Iron & Steel Association. Import volumes potentially could reach 80 million mt or more in 2026, driven by favorable pricing and compatibility with domestic blending requirements, JinSong said. Blending demand supports structural growth Demand for Mongolian coal remains closely tied to its role as a cost-efficient blending component rather than a direct substitute for domestic or seaborne material. Typically, low in ash and sulfur, Mongolian coking coal is widely blended with higher-sulfur domestic coal, particularly in Shanxi and Hebei, helping coke producers reduce costs while maintaining quality. Mongolian coal does not directly compete with