Russian Ministry of Industry and Trade has officially notified China's government that it will start an antidumping investigation into its imports of flats of austenitic and ferrite stainless steel grades, including cold and hot rolled sheets and coils, China's Ministry of Commerce has stated.
As SteelOrbis previous reported, Russian stainless steel producers asked their government to initiate an investigation into imports of flats of austenitic and ferrite stainless steel grades originating from the European Union, Brazil, Republic of South Africa, South Korea, Japan, India, China and Taiwan, in order to protect the domestic producers.
In 2008, China exported about 426,711 mt of flats (including hot and cold rolled sheets and medium plates), of which only 16,787 mt, i.e. almost four percent, were directed to Russia. Thus, according to Chinese industry experts, the Russian antidumping actions, if approved, would not have a significant impact on Chinese steelmakers, as most of their stainless flats exports are delivered to South Korea, Southeast Asia and western Europe.