According to the South East Asia Iron and Steel Institute (SEAISI), China’s total steel exports amounted to 112.4 million mt in 2015, rising by 20 percent year on year. Around 30 percent of the total steel export volume went to the ASEAN region, up 33 percent compared to the previous year.
In particular, Chinese bar exports to the ASEAN region increased by 78 percent to 12 million mt, constituting 38 percent of China’s total steel bar exports in the given period. Indonesia was the biggest recipient of bar exports from China in 2015, absorbing almost three million mt, representing an increase of 94 percent, followed by the Philippines with 2.8 million mt, up 44 percent all year on year. In the given year, China's wire rod exports to the ASEAN region rose by 16 percent year on year to five million mt. In 2015, China’s wire rod exports to Vietnam totaled 1.3 million mt, up 33 percent year on year, followed by Thailand, which received 1.26 million mt of wire rod from China, representing a moderate increase of four percent compared to 2014.
The third most exported steel product from China to the ASEAN region in 2015 was hot rolled coil (HRC), with the total volume reaching 4.2 million mt, up 90 percent compared to 2014. The biggest destination for Chinese HRC exports in the ASEAN region was Vietnam with 3.2 million mt, accounting for 80 percent of total HRC exports to the ASEAN region, with the volume indicating an increase of 24 percent year on year.
Exports of hot dip galvanized sheet from China to the ASEAN region amounted to 1.8 million mt in the given year, up 36 percent year on year. The main destination in the region was Vietnam which receiving 786,000 mt, double compared to 2014. HDG sheet exports to Thailand increased by 24 percent year on year to 464,000 mt, while the Philippines received 342,000 mt, down seven percent from the previous year.