Spatiotemporal Evolution and Market Resilience of China’s Bamboo Product Trade Under the “Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic” Initiative

Driven by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the global “Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic” initiative, China has become a key bamboo industry player by leveraging abundant resources and an integrated supply chain. To enhance international competitiveness, optimizing product structure and market resilience is essential. Using descriptive statistics, visualization, trade concentration index, and K-means clustering, this study analyzed China’s bamboo trade spatiotemporal patterns and market resilience based on 2015–2024 China customs data. Results revealed major revisions in the Harmonized System (HS) codes for bamboo products in 2017, yet existing classifications remain insufficiently detailed. Imports declined overall, characterized by fragmented primary products mainly sourced from the Taiwan region of China and Vietnam. In contrast, exports grew steadily, led by Bamboo Tableware, with the United States, Japan, and Europe as key markets, and notable expansion into Southeast Asia. In 2024, bamboo products accounted for over 99% of China’s total bamboo trade value, and the export–import gap kept widening. Compared with 2015, export concentration declined: low- and medium-concentration markets increased, highly concentrated ones decreased, and overall resilience improved. Cluster analysis split core destinations into seven groups in 2015 but only five in 2024, signalling broader demand diversity and fewer single-category-dominated markets. The study recommends refining HS codes to reflect new bamboo innovations; consolidating markets in Europe and America while expanding differentiated demand in Southeast Asia; upgrading Bamboo Tableware through technology; and boosting core product competitiveness to support global bamboo trade and the “Bamboo as a Substitute for Plastic” initiative.