China's iron and steel industry performed better than expected in the first half of this year, with profits of major steel companies surging 63.26 percent year on year, industry association data showed.
According to the National Bureau of Statistics, China produced 515 million tons of crude steel in the first six months of 2025, down 3 percent year on year, which conforms with the expectations and requirements of the country's policies to fine-tune its iron and steel industry.
During the January-June period, the total profits of the country's major steel mills stood at 59.2 billion yuan (about 8.24 billion U.S. dollars), up 63.26 percent year on year, according to the latest data from the China Iron and Steel Association (CISA).
Crude steel output regulation currently remains the most viable solution for adjusting production intensity and achieving supply-demand balance, Zhao Min'ge, president of the association, said at a council meeting of the CISA in Tangshan City, north China's Hebei Province in late July.
"Thanks to the effective production regulation measures that the country has adopted to achieve a dynamic supply-demand balance, the crude steel output of 20 major steel enterprises with annual production exceeding 10 million tons dropped by 3.7 percent year on year. This has helped maintain low steel inventory levels, a fundamental supply-demand equilibrium, and relatively stable steel prices, while reducing demand for raw materials and lowering the costs," Zhao said.
Profits of Chinese steel mills surge in H1
