EU officials announced that China will export 1.5 to 2 million tons of extra coke, which is used in steel production, in 2004 in response to EU complaints that the drop in coke supply would harm its steel industry. China exported 14.7 million tons of coke in 2003, which accounted for half of global coke sales. China originally planned to cut 2004 exports to 8.3 to 9.6 million tons of coke with the intent of cooling its overheating economy, EU officials said. The price of Chinese coke rose from US$120 per ton in 2003 to US$450 this year in response to hikes in China export license costs.
Categories