From January to August in this year, China has exported 57.77 million tons of steel products to Asia. With the exception of South Korea, The major countries for Chinese steel products are Vietnam, Thailand and Philippines. During the first eighth month in 2016, Chinese steel exports to Southeast Asia is accounted for 10.7%, Thailand and Philippines are accounted for 5.9% and 5.7% respectively. Compared with the data in 2015, from Janurary to August, the Chinese steel exports to Southeast Aisa has increased which including a 40.6% of growing up in Thailand. In Vietanam, the mainly Chinese steel exports are hot rolled coil, plate and coated coil. Thses three types of steel products has accounted for 60% of the total number. In Philippines, the mainly Chinese steel exports are rebar, billet, coated coil and wire. And these three types of steel products is accounted for 67.29% of the total Chinese steel exports. The main exports to Thailand are rebar, billet, coated coil and wires, the same as in Philippines. And these three types of steel accounted for 75.04% of the total. In total, the main Chinese steel exports to Southeast Asia includes rebar, billet, coated coil, hot and cold rolled coil.
The reason behind the increasing demand for Chinese steel exports in Southeast Asia is below:
1. The domestic steel proudction is very inadequate in Vietnam, the domestic production only includes long products such as round steel, wire, screw steel which can only provide materials for conventional building.
2. In Thailand, domestic iron and steel industry is limited to the recycling of scrap steel production. It is resulting in many factories, but the industry chain is no tcomplete., Based on environmental considerations, there are only one steel upstream company in Thailand.
3. In Philippines, there is no big iron production capacity, domestic steel exports is very limited.
Apparent consumption of steel from the trend of the three countries can be seen, Vietnam and the Philippines has been on the rise in apparent consumption, Thailand has declined since 2013, but exports to Thailand in January -2016 the amount of steel was significantly higher than 2015 January to August steel exports.
Chinese steel products exports 1-5
