China's copper imports declined 5% in August from a year earlier, customs data showed on Thursday, as demand weakness persisted amid a faltering economy and strong domestic production.

Imports of unwrought copper and copper products totalled 473,330 metric tons in August, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

The metal, including anode, refined, alloy and semi-finished copper, is used widely in the construction, transport and power sectors.

The world's top metal consumer struggled last month with a sluggish PMI, a worsening property slump deepened by the debt crisis of its leading property developer Country Garden's .

Also weighing down demand for copper imports was rising domestic output this year.

Last month saw China's refined copper output jump 15.5% on-year to a record high of 989,000 tons, beating expectation by a slight amount, according to local information provider Shanghai Metals Market (SMM).

Strong domestic output prompted firm demand for raw material imports. China's imports of copper ore and concentrate, which stood at 2.7 million tons in August, up 10.9% from August 2022 and a historic high.

In the first eight months of 2023, China's copper imports fell 10% to 3.51 million metric tons, compared with a year-earlier, the customs data showed.

(Reporting by Siyi Liu and Dominique Patton; Editing by Tom Hogue)