# Kiribati Export Playbook for East Asia

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> Yugalinks regional export playbook

Compare buyer markets, access conditions, and calculated product opportunities in East Asia. Use this guide to prioritize research, not to treat calculated indicators as guaranteed sales.

## Navigation

- [Yugalinks home](https://www.yugalinks.com/)
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- [Open country workspace](https://www.yugalinks.com/app/countries)
- [Data sources](https://www.yugalinks.com/data-sources)
- [Methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology)

## Overview

- Exporter: Kiribati (KIR)
- Region: East Asia
- Latest trade year: 2024
- Buyer markets: 5
- Calculated three-year opportunity: $37.2B
- Reported FTA markets: 0
- Average reported distance: 6,278 km
- Average business entry indicator: 6 days

## Market comparison

| Market | ISO3 | Opportunity | Products | FTA | Distance | Entry days | Top product |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | --- | ---: | ---: | --- |
| Japan | JPN | $16.8B | 38 | Not reported | 5,142 km | 11 | Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 |
| Republic of Korea | KOR | $13.7B | 23 | Not reported | 6,195 km | 8 | Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 |
| China | CHN | $5.6B | 4 | Not reported | 7,138 km | 9 | Commodities not specified according to kind |
| China, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region | HKG | $731.0M | 22 | Not reported | 6,783 km | 2 | Aluminium: waste and scrap |
| Taiwan | TWN | $355.9M | 12 | Not reported | 6,130 km | 0 | Copper: waste and scrap |

## Product and market opportunities

| Rank | Market | Product | Opportunity | Buyer growth | Current share |
| ---: | --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| 1 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 854239 - Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 | $10.6B | +7.4% | +0.0% |
| 2 | Japan (JPN) | HS 854239 - Electronic integrated circuits: n.e.c. in heading no. 8542 | $8.3B | +2.6% | +0.0% |
| 3 | China (CHN) | HS 999999 - Commodities not specified according to kind | $5.2B | +42.1% | +0.0% |
| 4 | Japan (JPN) | HS 271012 - Product description unavailable | $4.7B | +3.9% | +0.0% |
| 5 | Japan (JPN) | HS 392690 - Plastics: other articles n.e.s. in chapter 39 | $1.4B | +5.3% | +0.0% |
| 6 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 760200 - Aluminium: waste and scrap | $605.1M | +11.8% | +0.0% |
| 7 | Japan (JPN) | HS 853690 - Electrical apparatus: n.e.s. in heading no. 8536, for switching or protecting electrical circuits, for a voltage not exceeding 1000 volts | $522.2M | +4.2% | +0.0% |
| 8 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 720449 - Ferrous waste and scrap: n.e.s. in heading no. 7204 | $486.0M | -0.1% | +0.0% |
| 9 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 854810 - Waste and scrap of primary cells, primary batteries and electric accumulators: spent primary cells, spent primary batteries and spent electric accumulators | $398.1M | +56.0% | +0.0% |
| 10 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 890120 - Tankers | $344.1M | +6.2% | +0.8% |
| 11 | Japan (JPN) | HS 030441 - Fish fillets: fresh or chilled, salmon, Pacific (Oncorhynchus nerka, Oncorhynchus gorbuscha, Oncorhynchus keta, Oncorhynchus tschawytscha, Oncorhynchus kisutch, Oncorhynchus masou and Oncorhynchus rhodurus), Atlantic (Salmo salar), Danube (Hucho hucho) | $287.6M | +12.3% | +0.0% |
| 12 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 300220 - Vaccines: for human medicine | $278.7M | +10.7% | +0.0% |
| 13 | Japan (JPN) | HS 850110 - Electric motors: of an output not exceeding 37.5W | $276.3M | -0.5% | +0.0% |
| 14 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 890690 - Vessels: other, including lifeboats other than rowing boats, other than warships | $247.5M | +10.6% | +0.0% |
| 15 | China (CHN) | HS 121221 - Seaweeds and other algae: fit for human consumption, fresh, chilled, frozen or dried, whether or not ground | $233.6M | +13.6% | +0.0% |
| 16 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 761699 - Aluminium: n.e.c. in heading no. 7616 | $221.3M | +7.9% | +0.0% |
| 17 | Republic of Korea (KOR) | HS 030389 - Fish: frozen, n.e.c. in heading 0303, excluding fillets, fish meat of 0304, and edible fish offal of subheadings 0303.91 to 0303.99 | $190.5M | +6.8% | +0.0% |
| 18 | Japan (JPN) | HS 030389 - Fish: frozen, n.e.c. in heading 0303, excluding fillets, fish meat of 0304, and edible fish offal of subheadings 0303.91 to 0303.99 | $168.1M | -1.6% | +0.0% |
| 19 | Japan (JPN) | HS 030487 - Fish fillets: frozen, tunas (of the genus Thunnus), skipjack or stripe-bellied bonito (Euthynnus (Katsuwonus) pelamis) | $159.1M | +5.9% | +0.4% |
| 20 | China (CHN) | HS 030343 - Fish: frozen, skipjack tuna (stripe-bellied bonito) (Katsuwonus pelamis), excluding fillets, fish meat of 0304, and edible fish offal of subheadings 0303.91 to 0303.99 | $157.1M | +51.2% | +0.9% |

## Sector opportunities

| Sector | Products | Reported buyer imports | Opportunity | Average growth |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| HS2 85 - HS2 sector 85 | 7 | $30.1B | $20.1B | +10.9% |
| HS2 99 - HS2 sector 99 | 4 | $3.1B | $5.4B | +15.8% |
| HS2 00 - HS2 sector 00 | 2 | $14.0B | $4.7B | -0.7% |
| HS2 03 - HS2 sector 03 | 51 | $3.4B | $2.0B | +3.4% |
| HS2 39 - HS2 sector 39 | 3 | $2.5B | $1.5B | +0.6% |
| HS2 76 - HS2 sector 76 | 5 | $2.8B | $1.1B | +4.7% |
| HS2 89 - HS2 sector 89 | 2 | $1.6B | $591.6M | +8.4% |
| HS2 72 - HS2 sector 72 | 1 | $628.0M | $486.0M | -0.1% |

## Frequently asked questions

### Should Kiribati focus on East Asia?

Use the market ranking as a starting point, then check product fit, buyer requirements, route costs, tariffs, standards, and competitive conditions.

### What does calculated opportunity mean?

It is a screening indicator built from demand and exporter-position signals. It is not a confirmed order, sales forecast, or guarantee of market entry.

### How should exporters use this page?

Prioritize one market and product combination, then validate buyers, compliance, logistics, pricing, and continuity before making a commercial decision.

## Method

Reported trade observations and calculated indicators are shown separately. Validate buyers, tariffs, standards, logistics, pricing, and competition before acting.

Yugalinks presents derived views for research and planning. [Read the full methodology](https://www.yugalinks.com/methodology).

## Data sources

- Primary trade series: OECD (2025), Balanced international merchandise trade statistics (BIMTS) - HS2017-6D, OECD Data Explorer (accessed on 2026-08-30). [OECD Data Explorer](https://data-explorer.oecd.org/) - [OECD Terms & Conditions](https://www.oecd.org/termsandconditions/)
- CEPII BACI bilateral trade flows (202601): [dataset page](https://www.cepii.fr/CEPII/en/bdd_modele/bdd_modele_item.asp?id=37) - [BACI documentation](https://www.cepii.fr/DATA_DOWNLOAD/baci/doc/baci_webpage.html) - [Etalab 2.0 Open Licence](https://www.etalab.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/open-licence.pdf)

This page presents derived Yugalinks views of reported observations and calculated indicators.