China’s steel sheet/plate exports totaled 8.83 million mt in the January-March period this year, down 13.3 percent year on year, according to the Chinese customs authorities. In March alone, China exported 4.09 million mt of steel sheet/plate, up 8.5 percent year on year.
The global coronavirus pandemic has exerted a negative impact on the global steel market, resulting in reduced demand for steel sheet/plate in the first quarter. In April, Chinese exporters have faced tough competition from Indian and Russian suppliers in the hot rolled coil (HRC) segment in Asia, and so it is expected that export volumes in the coming months will be reduced.