According to data issued by the Arab Iron and Steel Union (AISU), steel imports from
China to Arab countries increased by 63 percent in 2014 compared to the previous year. The AISU added that Russia, Ukraine and Turkey are competing with
China in terms of exporting steel to Middle Eastern countries since they are in close proximity to the region.
In particular,
rebar imports from
China to Arab countries increased from about 812,000 mt in 2013 to 2.07 million mt in 2014, while
wire rod imports increased from 553,000 mt to about 1.14 million mt.
Mohammed Eid Al-Ashqar, secretary general of the AISU, said that the Chinese imports flooding the region's markets at prices below the global and domestic prices by a large margin threaten Arab steel companies' production and profitability, thereby causing severe damage affecting both existing and future investments. The secretary general warned Arab governments that "the lack of tariff protection in the most influential countries in the region will exacerbate this problem."