By Li Shouen, CCTV.com reporter

2018 (9th) annual China Steel Industry Development Forum was held on Saturday (March 31) in Beijing, with the theme, "New Era, New Future, New Technology, New Development." About 500 representatives from related government sectors, research institutes, as well as enterprises participated in the forum.

(9th China Steel Industry Development Forum held on March 31, 2018)

A number of issues were discussed, including China’s overall economic trends in 2018, the impact on the iron and steel sector with the nation's adjustments on industry policies, strategic impact on iron and steel process structure and resource environment brought by historic changes in waste steel resources, measurements on reducing steel industry overcapacity, new thoughts and new measurements in steel enterprises’ development in the new era, new development and new policies on international capacity cooperation, and etc.

Li Xinchuang, President of China Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute, said the iron and steel industry is among China's most competitive industries in the manufacturing sector. It has realized the "5Gs", namely, good magnitude, good prices, good products, good brands and good services.

(Li Xinchuang, President of China Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute delivered a speech at the forum)

He added that China has the world's largest and most active domestic market for iron and steel industry, where domestic consumption of rolled steel products has accounted for some 45 percent of the world's total consumption in 2017. And this trend would remain that way for a long time in the future.

Participants also had in-depth discussions on views, shared advanced experiences and successful practices, explored tactics on upgrading and transforming China's iron and steel industry in the new era, and vowed to promote the high quality development of the iron and steel industry to improve its innovation capability and international competence.

The forum was co-hosted by the Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute and Engineering Management Division of Chinese Academy of Engineering. This is the 9th forum which is held annually, and it has become an important platform for promoting industry policies, analyzing industry trends and conditions, leading industry development and promoting industry cooperation.

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