Experts urge Chinese steelmakers to build plants abroad to avoid trade barriers

%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChinese%20officials%20and%20experts%20Tuesday%20suggested%20the%20nation%27s%20steel%20producers%20set%20up%20plants%20abroad%20to%20avoid%20a%20rising%20number%20of%20international%20trade%20barriers.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EOpening%20steel%20mills%20in%20regions%20with%20abundant%20raw%20materials%20and%20strong%20market%20demand%20abroad%20would%20be%20easier%20than%20exporting%20steel%20products%2C%20as%20it%20would%20bring%20tax%20revenues%20and%20employment%20to%20the%20areas%2C%20Jia%20Yinsong%2C%20an%20official%20with%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Industry%20and%20Information%20Technology%2C%20said%20at%20an%20international%20trade%20fair%20for%20the%20steel%20tube%20industry%20in%20Shanghai.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChina%27s%20steel%20pipe%20exporters%20had%20been%20frequent%20victims%20of%20protectionism%2C%20said%20Wang%20Zhenfu%2C%20vice%20director%20with%20the%20Fair%20Trade%20Bureau%20of%20Import%20and%20Export%20of%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Commerce%20%28MOC%29.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EData%20from%20the%20WTO%20showed%20China%27s%20steel%20producers%20were%20named%20in%2029%20trade%20disputes%20since%202007%2C%20involving%20products%20valued%20at%206%20billion%20U.S.%20dollars.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20most%20serious%2C%20in%20which%20the%20United%20States%20imposed%20in%20April%20anti-dumping%20duties%20ranging%20from%2030%20to%2099%20percent%20on%20Chinese%20steel%20pipes%20imports%20used%20in%20oil%20and%20gas%20wells%2C%20had%20curbed%20steel%20tube%20exports%20to%20the%20U.S.%20by%20more%20than%2080%20percent%2C%20said%20Wang.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EAccording%20to%20the%20U.S.%20Department%20of%20Commerce%2C%2037%20Chinese%20firms%20received%20a%20final%20dumping%20rate%20of%2029.94%20percent%2C%20and%20all%20other%20Chinese%20exporters%20were%20subject%20to%20a%20final%20dumping%20rate%20of%2099.14%20percent.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EWang%20warned%20of%20a%20risk%20of%20losing%20the%20U.S.%20market%20as%20the%20U.S.%20government%20was%20mulling%20further%20anti-dumping%20investigations%20against%20Chinese%20steel%20pipe%20exports.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EJia%20said%20Chinese%20enterprises%20should%20be%20aware%20of%20the%20significance%20of%20transforming%20from%20production%20exports%20to%20capacity%20exports.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EAt%20present%2C%20domestic%20steel%20enterprises%20were%20mainly%20focused%20on%20acquiring%20mineral%20resources%20abroad%2C%20but%20that%20would%20become%20more%20difficult%20given%20global%20commodity%20price%20hikes%20fueled%20by%20a%20booming%20market%2C%20said%20Jia.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EThe%20costs%20of%20energy%2C%20raw%20materials%2C%20shipping%20and%20rising%20trade%20protectionism%20and%20pressure%20for%20China%20to%20appreciate%20its%20currency%20would%20pose%20challenges%20for%20Chinese%20exporters%2C%20according%20to%20a%20survey%20conducted%20by%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Commerce%20last%20month.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EJia%20said%20a%20few%20of%20Chinese%20steel%20firms%2C%20such%20as%20Wuhan%20Iron%20and%20Steel%20Group%2C%20had%20invested%20in%20capacity%20exports.%20Wuhan%20Iron%20and%20Steel%2C%20China%27s%20third-biggest%20steelmaker%2C%20announced%20on%20April%2019%20it%20would%20team%20up%20with%20Brazil%27s%20LLX%20Logistica%20S.A.%20to%20build%20a%20steel%20plant%20with%20an%20annual%20capacity%20of%205%20million%20tonnes%20in%20Brazil%27s%20Acu%20Super%20Port%20Industrial%20District.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EBesides%20focusing%20on%20the%20U.S.%20market%2C%20Chinese%20steel%20firms%20should%20step%20up%20efforts%20to%20tap%20into%20emerging%20markets%20such%20as%20South%20America%20and%20the%20Middle%20East%2C%20said%20Wang.%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%0D%0A%3CP%3E%3CFONT%20face%3DVerdana%3EChi%20Jingdong%2C%20vice%20secretary%20general%20of%20China%20Iron%20and%20Steel%20Association%2C%20encouraged%20domestic%20steelmakers%20to%20learn%20from%20Japanese%20counterparts%2C%20who%20followed%20automobile%20manufacturers%20abroad%2C%20providing%20with%20matching%20steel%20products%20from%20their%20overseas%20mills.%20%3C/FONT%3E%3C/P%3E%3C/FONT%3E