"China's steel industry is playing an increasingly important leadership role on the international stage. China has always abided by the relevant rules of the World Trade Organization and upheld fair competition and cooperation globally. The development experience of China's steel industry in recent years has set a model worth learning for other countries and regions." On September 1, Edwin Basson, Secretary-General of the World Steel Association, praised the performance of China's steel industry on the international stage in a special interview with a reporter from China Metallurgical News. He believes that in the next 20 years, China's steel industry will ensure the steady and high-quality transformation and development of the global steel industry as a leader.

Further Discussion — China Has Played a Key Leading Role in Carbon Emission Reduction in Blast Furnace Processes

"China's economic development has entered a new phase. In this stage, we will see steel production and demand become more stable or even decline, which is a natural law of development. Of course, the steel industry is not a sunset industry; global steel demand will continue to grow over the next 20 years, though the drivers of growth will shift. Relevant data predicts that by 2050, global annual steel demand is expected to increase by 200 to 300 million tons. For us, it is crucial to ensure that the growth in steel demand in these regions is balanced with the growth of new production capacity, while achieving carbon emission reductions," Basson said. Reducing carbon dioxide emissions in steel production has been a common topic that the global steel industry has continuously addressed and intensified research on in recent years. So, what are the achievements of the global steel industry's low-carbon development at this stage? Can we bring new perspectives to this oft-repeated issue? "Over the past few years, we have seen the implementation of new technologies and the advancement of new investments in different parts of the world. I am personally very optimistic that the international community will soon see the benefits of the carbon reduction efforts by the steel industry worldwide," Basson said. World Steel Association forecasts show that between 2030 and 2040, global steel industry carbon dioxide emissions will tend to stabilize or even decline while production and demand grow simultaneously. China's steel industry will play a key role in this process. In fact, China has already played an important leading role in reducing carbon dioxide emissions in blast furnace processes. "Some countries and regions believe that we can completely solve the carbon dioxide emission problem simply by adopting electric arc furnace steelmaking. This view is incorrect. We must also find suitable solutions for blast furnace production routes. China and others have carried out very meaningful work in this regard, and India is also experimenting with new ideas. In fact, we are already beginning to see new methods emerge to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in blast furnace processes and make positive progress," he said. "China's steel production and demand both account for nearly half of the global total. Therefore, China will provide nearly half or more of the effective solutions for the global steel industry. Additionally, compared with most Western countries, China has newer and stronger technological reserves. At the same time, China is adept at developing new technologies and seeking new solutions through diverse approaches. Outside of China, we have observed similar development trends in countries such as South Korea and Japan. From a technological R&D perspective, I believe this region will play an important role in how to produce steel with lower carbon dioxide emissions," Basson said.