China's steel industry has completed its scale expansion and is now entering a new stage focused on high-end, intelligent and green development, according to Jiang Wei, vice president and secretary general of the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA).
Mr. Jiang made the remarks in his opening address at the 15th China International Steel Conference, held in Shanghai on September 19-20. The event brought together more than 1,200 industry experts and business leaders from over 280 companies, including more than 50 overseas companies.
According to Jiang, after completing its expansion in terms of scale, China's steel industry is now focusing on upgrading its production and development model, with technological progress playing a key role in this transition.
Technological progress to drive quality improvement and upgrading
Jiang stated that the core of the transformation and upgrading of China's steel industry will be technological progress, supported by multidimensional integrated innovation aimed at improving quality and accelerating industrial upgrading.
He stressed that the steel industry remains a fundamental, strategic and core industry supporting China's economic and industrial development, rejecting the view that steel should be considered “a sunset industry”.
According to Jiang, China's steel sector will increasingly focus on high-end development, intelligent manufacturing and green transformation as it moves into its next stage of development.
CISA stresses importance of international cooperation
Jiang also highlighted international cooperation as another key element in the future development of the steel industry.
According to the CISA official, deeper international cooperation and the optimal allocation of global resources will be essential not only for China's steel industry, but also for the development of the global steel sector.
