Beijing Moves to Rein in Steel Exports With New Licensing Rule
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China will require export licenses for nearly all steel products starting Jan. 1, 2026, a significant move to rein in surging overseas shipments that have drawn global scrutiny and fueled trade disputes.
The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly announced the measure on Friday, noting that the licensing regime will cover most steel-related exports — including crude iron, billets, coils, plates, pipes, and scrap. Exemptions will be limited to a few finished products such as fasteners and household appliances.
China exported 97.7 million tons of steel in the first 10 months of 2025, a 6.6% rise from a year earlier. But average export prices fell 8.7% to $695.4 per ton, underscoring a surge of low-priced shipments.
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- China will require export licenses for most steel exports starting Jan. 1, 2026, aiming to curb surging shipments and illicit trade.
- Steel exports rose to 110 million tons in 2024 and are forecast to reach 110–130 million tons in 2025; export prices fell 8.7% to $695.4/ton in early 2025.
- Trade tensions escalated with 33 antidumping investigations in 2024 and at least 25 more in 2025.
- MySteel
- MySteel is an industry information portal. Xu Xiangchun, the head of MySteel, estimated that gray-market steel exports, which involve tax evasion by separating steel goods from official invoices, could account for up to 20 million tons of China's annual steel exports. This activity costs the state revenue and leads to allegations of dumping abroad.
- May 2021：
- Beijing eliminated most steel export tax rebates, leading to an intensification of gray-market activity to evade taxes.
- 2023：
- China’s steel exports jumped 36.2% to 90.3 million tons.
- 2024：
- China’s steel exports rose 22.7% to 110 million tons.
- 2024：
- Chinese steel products became subject to 33 new trade remedy investigations, more than the total lodged between 2020 and 2023.
- By October 2025：
- China exported 97.7 million tons of steel in the first 10 months of 2025.
- 2025：
- At least 25 additional trade remedy investigations against Chinese steel products were launched.
- December 13, 2025：
- The Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs jointly announced that China will require export licenses for nearly all steel products.
- December 13, 2025：
- CISA issued a statement supporting the new policy on steel export licenses.
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