China's iron ore imports have been decelerating since 2011, and that trend is set to continue next year with estimated growth of 6.25 percent, said an industry expert on Friday.

China will import 850 million metric tons of iron ore in 2014, according to Li Xinchuang, head of the China Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute.

He estimated this year's imports will total 800 million tons, up 7.5 percent. In the first 10 months of 2013, China imported 669 million tons of iron ore.