China’s steel industry shifts from scale expansion to high-end, green, AI-driven upgrades
At the 15th China International Steel Congress on September 20, officials announced China’s steel industry has largely ended extensive scale expansion and entered a new phase of high-end, intelligent, and green upgrading. CISA Vice President Jiang Wei said the industry is undergoing systemic transformation through integrated innovation in capacity, products, and green transition. Over 80% of crude steel capacity has met ultra-low emission standards. The 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) targets world leadership in technology, digitalization, and low-carbon practices, with AI and smart factory initiatives.
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China's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of High-End, Smart, Green Upgrading
According to reports from the 15th China International Steel Congress, China's steel industry has largely abandoned extensive scale expansion and is now comprehensively entering a new stage of high-end, intelligent, and green upgrading. China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry is undergoing a systemic transformation through integrated innovation, achieving changes in capacity, products, and green transition. Key developments include high-value steel products for automotive, marine, nuclear, and new energy sectors surpassing construction steel in usage; the application of digital technology, industrial internet, and AI large models in smart steelmaking; and the implementation of the world's largest and strictest ultra-low emission upgrades, with over 80% of crude steel capacity meeting standards during the '14th Five-Year Plan' period. Jiang Wei noted that the industry is shifting from scale expansion to quality competition, driven by technological progress and integrated innovation. Looking ahead to the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry will focus on enhancing industrial foundation capabilities and modernization, controlling capacity expansion, promoting industrial concentration, ensuring resource security, and advancing internationalization. CISA Chairman Liu Jian emphasized deepening capacity governance, implementing quality improvement, energy efficiency, and digital transformation projects, and transforming the industry from selling steel to providing comprehensive solutions including materials, technology, services, and green brands.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry to Push Digital and AI Transformation in 15th Five-Year Plan
At the 15th China International Steel Congress in Shanghai, China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) officials outlined the industry's goals for the 2026-2030 period. CISA Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry has completed scale expansion and is entering a new phase focused on high-end, intelligent, and green upgrades. Key initiatives include 'quality improvement and product creation' for high-value-added steel, 'energy-carbon efficiency' as a mandatory requirement for emissions reduction, and 'digital-intelligent transformation' as a new foundation. CISA President Liu Jian noted that the industry faces pressure from carbon reduction costs and new carbon barriers in trade, estimating that by 2028, Chinese steel costs for exports to the EU will rise by about 7%, incurring an additional 1.42 billion euros. The 15th Five-Year Plan targets world leadership in technology, digital transformation, and green low-carbon practices by 2030. Specific measures include promoting 'AI+steel' applications, building smart factories, and fostering 'pilot-level' and 'lighthouse' factories. As of end-2025, 239 smart manufacturing standards have been planned, 114 issued, and 36 enterprises have been rated as 'excellent-level' smart factories.
Read sourceChina's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of High-End, Smart, Green Upgrades
According to a Xinhua report from the 15th China International Steel Conference, China's steel industry has largely ended its era of extensive expansion and is now transitioning to a stage focused on high-end, intelligent, and green development. China Iron and Steel Association Vice President Jiang Wei stated that the industry is undergoing a systemic transformation through integrated innovation, covering production capacity, product services, and environmental performance. Key trends include a shift from construction to manufacturing steel demand, growth in high-value-added products like automotive and nuclear-grade steel, and the adoption of AI and digital technologies in steelmaking. On the environmental front, over 80% of crude steel capacity has met ultra-low emission standards, and several low-carbon demonstration projects have been launched. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), the industry will focus on controlling capacity expansion, promoting industrial consolidation, ensuring resource security, and advancing internationalization. Association President Liu Jian called for a transformation from selling steel to providing comprehensive solutions including materials, technology, services, and green brands, while collaborating with downstream sectors to tackle critical specialty materials.
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China's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of High-End, Intelligent, Green Upgrading
At the 15th China International Steel Conference on September 20, it was announced that China's steel industry has largely moved away from extensive scale expansion and is fully entering a new phase of high-end, intelligent, and green quality upgrading. Jiang Wei, Vice Chairman and Secretary-General of the China Iron and Steel Association, stated that the industry is driving systematic industrial restructuring through integrated innovation, achieving comprehensive transformation in capacity and equipment, products and services, and green transition. He noted that from a broader industrial cycle perspective, the sector is shifting from scale expansion to quality competition, and that responding to these changes and achieving quality upgrades hinges on technological progress and driving systemic transformation through all-around integrated innovation. The report was sourced from Xinhua.
China's Steel Industry Enters New Phase of Quality Upgrade, Officials Say
According to a report from Xinhua Finance on September 20, China's steel industry has largely abandoned its extensive scale-expansion model and is now comprehensively entering a new phase of high-end, intelligent, and green quality upgrades. This was stated at the 15th China International Steel Congress by China Iron and Steel Association (CISA) Vice President and Secretary-General Jiang Wei, who said the industry is undergoing a systemic transformation through integrated innovation in capacity, equipment, products, services, and green transition. Jiang noted that the industry is shifting from scale expansion to quality competition, with progress driven by technological innovation. CISA President Liu Jian said the industry will focus on deepening capacity governance, implementing quality improvement, energy efficiency, and digital transformation projects, expanding steel application scenarios, and fostering brands for low-carbon and high-end specialty steels. The goal is to move from simply 'selling steel' to 'selling materials, technology, services, and green brands.' During the '15th Five-Year Plan' period, the industry will prioritize green and low-carbon transformation, smart manufacturing, capacity control, industrial concentration, resource security, and internationalization.
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