China’s steel exports remained strong from January to February due to healthy overseas order bookings received by exporters in November and December.

However, there are emerging signs of a decline in export orders due to increasing trade barriers against Chinese steel, trade sources said March 7.

Over January-February, China exported 16.972 million mt of finished steel, rising 6.7% from the same period in 2024, China Customs data showed March 7.

Daily exports over the first two months averaged 287,611 mt, down 8.3% from December and reaching the lowest since July.

Some market participants said China’s steel exports were historically high in the fourth quarter of 2024, partly due to competitive Chinese steel prices and partly because exporters and overseas buyers were rushing to get steel out before trade barriers escalated further.

As a result, the slowdown in exports over January-February was anticipated, and the export levels in the first two months were still high compared with the past few years, according to market sources.

“But as several antidumping duties have been imposed on Chinese steel products just over January and February, and more cases are either under investigation or in the pipeline, we have already seen our export orders shrink so far in March,” said a mill source.

The source said some peer mills have also received fewer export orders recently due to the rise in antidumping duties.