Despite the frequency of trade actions against Chinese steel products in recent days, many analysts in China continue to express optimism as regards the prospects for the country's steel product exports in 2010. Some hold the view that the main export focus for Chinese steel products no longer includes the US, but now centers on the Asian market, especially South Korea and the Middle East, as well as other emerging markets.
Although the US has lately initiated successive antidumping measures against Chinese-made steel products, the impact on China's steel exports is expected to be limited. China's Ministry of Commerce has commented that the difficulties faced by the US steel industry are not caused by imported products but rather by the sharp shrinkage in demand due to the financial crisis. Furthermore, Chinese steel industry insiders anticipate that, following the overall recovery of demand in the international market, especially in the emerging markets, more countries and regions will be readhy to buy China's steel exports in the future.
In addition, Qi Xiangdong, vice secretary general of the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), has declared that one of the main tasks for China's steel industry in 2010 is to explore external demand and to optimize the product structure for exports so as to further boost the country's export volume.