The international financial crisis in 2009 had a major negative impact on worldwide demand for pulp and paper products. As a result, the consumption of wood chips and pulpwood for pulp production was lower, and global trade of wood chips fell accordingly. However, in 2010, pulp markets improved and global shipments of wood chips were up substantially, reports the Wood Resource Quarterly.China has evolved from being a net exporter of chips five years ago, to being a major chip consumer, having quadrupled imports in just two ears. The country now imports over 28 percent of all chips traded in the Pacific Rim and is the world’s second largest importer of wood chips after Japan.Trade of wood chips is still the highest in the Pacific Rim, accounting for almost 60 percent of the total global trade and over 95 percent of water-born trade. The major exporting countries in 2010 have not changed much from previous years, with Australia being the biggest exporter, followed by Chile, Vietnam, the US and Thailand.Trade of wood chips is likely to increase in 2011, accprdong tp the Wood Resource Quarterly.