Vale abandons plan to build iron ore distribution center in China

Brazil-based iron ore mining giant Vale has decided to abandon its plans to set up an iron ore distribution center in China. On March 23, Luiz Meriz, president of Vale Minerals China, said Vale is now focused on building a distribution center in Malaysia, and is no longer considering the construction of a distribution center in eastern China.
 
It is thought that the change in the location of the distribution center by Vale has been influenced by Chinese national policy. Chinese steelmakers had submitted files to China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) expressing their opposition to Vale's planned distribution center in China, due to the near monopoly held by Vale and its Australia-based competitors. Mr. Meriz stated that Malaysia was a more relevant location as from Malaysia it would be possible to distribute the ore south, to Vietnam, Taiwan and other destinations.