Millions　of　tonnes　(teragrams)　of　plastic　waste　are　traded　around　the　world　every　year,　which　plays　an　important　role　in　partially　substituting　virgin　plastics　as　a　source　of　raw　materials　in　plastic　product　manufacturing.　In　this　paper,　global　plastic　waste　trade　networks　(GPWTNs)　from　1988　to　2017　are　established　using　the　UN-Comtrade　database.　The　spatiotemporal　evolution　of　the　GPWTNs　is　analyzed.　Attention　is　given　to　the　country　ranks,　inter-　and　intra-continental　trade　flows,　and　geo-visual　communities　in　the　GPWTNs.　We　also　evaluate　the　direct　and　indirect　impacts　of　China＇s　plastic　waste　import　ban　on　the　GPWTNs.　The　results　show　that　the　GPWTNs　have　small-world　and　scale-free　properties　and　a　core-periphery　structure.　The　geography　of　the　plastic　waste　trade　is　structured　by　Asia　as　the　dominant　importer　and　North　America　and　Europe　as　the　largest　sources　of　plastic　waste.　China　is　the　unrivaled　colossus　in　the　global　plastic　waste　trade.　After　China＇s　import　ban,　the　plastic　waste　trade　flows　have　been　largely　redirected　to　Southeast　Asian　countries.　Compared　with　import　countries,　export　countries　are　more　important　for　the　robustness　of　GPWTNs.　Clearly,　developed　countries　will　not　announce　bans　on　plastic　waste　exports;　these　countries　have　strong　motivation　to　continue　to　shift　plastic　waste　to　poorer　countries.　However,　the　import　bans　from　developing　countries　will　compel　developed　countries　to　build　new　disposal　facilities　and　deal　with　their　plastic　waste　domestically.