Alacero, the Latin American Steel Association, recently reported that the total exports of steel from China to the world – including finished (long steel, flat steel and seamless pipes) and steel-derivatives products (wire products and welded tubes) – were 36 million tons during January-April 2016. This represents an 8 percent increase from January-April 2015. Of this volume, 33.8 million were finished steel and 2.2 million ton of steel-derivatives products. Finished steel refers to steel included in one of these 3 groups: Flat steel (e.g.: stainless steel, sheets and coils, coated sheets, pre-painted, chrome-plate sheets, hot dip galvanized sheet etc.), long products (e.g.: reinforcing bars, bars, wire rod, light sections, heavy sections, rails) and seamless tubes.
Latin America accounted for 6.3 percent of those exports from China (2.3 million tons), reducing its participation in 4.4 percentage points versus January-April 2015 (10.7 percent). This moves Latin America to fourth place as Chinas preferred destination. China´s main destinations for finished steel exports are South Korea (4.5 million tons, 12.4 percent of the global total), Vietnam (4.1 million tons, 11.3 percent of the total) and Thailand (2.4 million tons, 6,6 percent of the total).