Liu Zhenjiang, secretary general of the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA), stated at an industry forum on November 24 that the Chinese steel industry has been characterized by stability during 2018. In particular, he noted that China’s crude steel output has indicated certain rises, while steel prices have moved in a reasonable range, resulting in good profitability for Chinese steel enterprises.
However, Mr. Liu went on to say that in the fourth quarter of 2018 and in 2019 China’s steel industry will face more challenges, and so he suggested that domestic steelmakers should pay close attention to their debt ratios and improve their performances.