时隔16年，我国再对钢铁实施出口许可证管理

Core Viewpoint - The Chinese government is reintroducing export license management for certain steel products starting January 1, 2026, marking a significant shift in steel export regulation after 16 years of deregulation [1][2]. Group 1: Export License Management - The export license management will cover 300 customs commodity codes, encompassing the entire steel industry chain from raw materials to finished products [1]. - This initiative aims to guide the standardized export of steel products, promoting high-quality development in the steel industry and maintaining global supply-demand balance [1][2]. Group 2: Industry Challenges and Responses - The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, along with other departments, has emphasized the need to strengthen steel product export management to optimize the export product structure [2]. - In the first 11 months of 2025, China's steel exports reached 107.7 million tons, a 6.7% increase year-on-year, with an expected annual total of 115 million tons, surpassing the historical high of 112 million tons in 2015 [2]. - Despite the growth in export volume, there are structural issues, such as declining export prices and a surge in low-value-added primary product exports, which contradict the long-term goals of high-quality development [2][3]. Group 3: Price and Trade Dynamics - In the first half of 2025, steel exports amounted to 58.15 million tons, a 9.2% year-on-year increase, but the average export price fell by 10.3% to $699.3 per ton, leading to a 2.0% decrease in export value to $40.66 billion [3]. - The significant increase in steel billet exports, which tripled to 5.89 million tons, alongside a 15.3% drop in export prices, indicates that some companies are still engaged in price competition at a basic level [3]. Group 4: Trade Friction and Market Strategy - The steel industry has faced a record number of trade friction cases, with over 50 anti-dumping cases since 2024, affecting products like hot-rolled sheets and medium-thick plates, with tariffs as high as 38.02% imposed by countries such as Vietnam and India [3]. - The export license management is expected to compel companies to adjust their product structures and optimize export market strategies, reducing reliance on traditional markets with high anti-dumping duties and exploring emerging markets in Africa and Latin America [3]. Group 5: Recommendations for Companies - Companies are advised to familiarize themselves with the specific product catalog under management and prepare necessary export contract and quality inspection documents ahead of time [4]. - There is a call for increased R&D investment to develop high-end products such as high-performance bearing steel and gear steel, with some leading domestic companies already exporting "green steel" products that achieve significant carbon reductions [4].