Xu Xu, chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters (CCCMC) said at a meeting held on April 8 that the group of negotiators on the Chinese side in the annual iron ore talks should not exclude traders and medium- and small-sized steel producers.
In the 2010 iron ore contract price talks, the Chinese team is made up of the CISA and domestic four steel producers, including Shanghai-based Baosteel, WISCO, Liaoning-based Anshan Steel and Beijing-based Shougang, whereas during the previous talks Baosteel was the only representative of the Chinese steel producers. However, the four steel producers mentioned above are large-sized steelmakers in China, while traders and medium- and small-sized mills continue to be excluded from the iron ore talks.
According to Mr. Xu, the negotiation group should be expanded to include the traders and smaller mills, so as to represent a broader view.