In the first five months this year, China’s apparent crude steel consumption moved up by four percent to 394.5 million mt, while the country’s crude steel output increased by 1.9 percent to 411.8 million mt, both year on year, according to the China report from the World Steel Association (worldsteel). In May alone, the country’s apparent crude steel consumption was 89.8 million mt, rising by 7.4 percent and crude steel output was 92.3 million mt, increasing by 4.2, both year on year.
In the January-May period, China’s semi-finished and finished steel product imports increased by 61 percent to 8.5 million mt and its semi-finished and finished steel exports showed a decrease of 14 percent to 25 million mt, both on year-on-year basis.
In the same period, China’s iron ore imports amounted to 445.3 million mt, increasing by 5.1 percent, while its domestic iron ore output totaled 337 million mt, rising by 4.1 percent, both year on year.
Total annual production capacities of 3 million mt of pig iron, 6.20 million mt of crude steel and 2.70 million mt of hot-rolling belonging to four Chinese steelmakers were commissioned in June, while total annual production capacities of 10 million mt of pig iron and 6.5 million mt of steel have been closed down in Jiangsu Province.