Record Chinese steel output risks further US, EU tension

China’s output of steel products hit an all-time high last month despite Beijing’s repeated pledges to address overcapacity, raising the risk of trade disputes with Washington and Brussels, according to the South China Morning Post. Steel is already the biggest source of trade rows between China and its trading partners. Chinese and visiting European Union officials agreed last week in Beijing to set up a joint team to monitor steel trade data and China’s efforts to cut output, but official numbers released last week showed few signs of a slowdown. China produced an unprecedented 100 million-plus tonnes of steel products in June, with steel product exports rising by 23% to the second-highest total by volume on record.