On March 29, 2024 (15th) Steel high-quality Development Conference was held in Beijing. The participants focused on the theme of "changing the mode, adjusting the structure, improving the quality and increasing the efficiency", and put forward ideas and suggestions for the high-quality development of the steel industry, and agreed that the steel industry should strengthen the development of more high-end, intelligent and green new quality productivity.

China Iron and Steel Association (hereinafter referred to as the Steel Association) vice president Xia Nong, China Quality Miles Promotion Association Vice president and chief quality officer working committee director, Jiangsu Province Market Supervision Bureau, former inspector Feng Xinnan for the opening of the conference.  Yin Ruiyu, academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and former Vice Minister of Metallurgical Industry; Steel Association deputy Secretary-General, China Metallurgical Newspaper Party secretary, President Fan Tiejun attended the meeting. Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute (hereinafter referred to as Metallurgical Planning Institute) Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee, deputy president (presiding over the work) Xiao Bangguo and assistant president Zhou Xiang chaired the meeting on the afternoon.

In his speech, Xia Nong analyzed the current development environment facing the steel industry, and put forward suggestions on promoting the high-quality development of the steel industry from the perspective of deepening the supply-side structural reform, expanding domestic demand and the dual domestic and international cycle.

Xia Nong introduced that since 2023, the steel industry has overcome many difficulties and challenges, steel enterprises continue to adapt to the market, take the initiative to meet demand, adjust the variety structure, strengthen the potential of the standard, and maintain a stable situation in production and operation, which has made important contributions to the continuous recovery of the national economy and the realization of stable industrial growth. He analyzed that from the production side, China's steel output remains high, and the variety structure continues to optimize; From the perspective of steel consumption, the apparent consumption of steel in China has decreased; From the production of raw materials, the development of iron resources still needs to be strengthened; From a global steel perspective, steel production remained stable. In this regard, he said that on the one hand, the steel industry should coordinate the supply-side structural reform and expand domestic demand to promote the transformation and upgrading of the industry; On the other hand, we must adhere to a high level of openness and continue to promote the internationalization of the steel industry.

Feng Xinnan said in his speech that in recent years, the high-quality development of China's steel industry has taken new steps, its influence has been expanding, and its world recognition and reputation have been significantly improved. At present, in the face of new situations and tasks, how to grasp the transformation of old and new momentum in the steel industry, accelerate the development of new quality productivity, and promote the high-quality development of the steel industry to a new level has become an important issue that needs to be studied and solved. In this regard, he pointed out that the steel industry should speed up structural adjustment, optimize the industrial layout, "strengthen the development" of more high-end, intelligent and green steel new quality productivity, and continue to expand the influence of China's steel brand.

In the speech session, Huang Qifan believes that under the new pattern, we need to do five things, one is to improve the total factor productivity, the formation of self-reliance and self-reliant scientific and technological innovation ability; Second, we will build a large unified national market and smooth the double domestic and international circulation. The third is to expand the chain and strengthen the chain to form a manufacturing system with "one inside and one outside" and vertical integration of the upper, middle and downstream industrial chains; Fourth, we will raise the share of final consumption in GDP and significantly increase the share of individual income in national income distribution. Fifth, we will build a new system of open economy at a higher level.

 He systematically pointed out the challenges and opportunities facing carbon neutrality in the steel industry, made an in-depth interpretation of the "dual carbon" path and the key technologies to be solved, and put forward strategic recommendations on how to deal with the EU Carbon Border Regulation mechanism (CBAM).

Lu Shize, deputy director general of the Department of Climate Change, Ministry of Ecology and Environment, revealed that the Department of Climate Change is organizing carbon accounting guidelines for the steel industry, including various technical preparations such as quota allocation, and the documents are basically ready. Overall, the steel industry is under great pressure to enter the carbon market, facing challenges such as large carbon emissions, complex process processes, and weak data foundation. He suggested that the steel industry to enter the carbon market, one should familiarize itself with the market rules as soon as possible, two to reduce carbon, three to strengthen data management, four to actively participate in trading, on time and in full compliance.

Wen Gang, director of the Steel Division of the Raw material Industry Department of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, fully affirmed the remarkable results achieved by the steel industry since the 18th National Congress, analyzed the current situation facing the development of the steel industry, and put forward 4 suggestions on the solid promotion of the transformation and upgrading of the steel industry. First, we worked hard to promote steady growth of the steel industry. The second is to speed up equipment updating and technical upgrading. Third, accelerate the digital transformation of the industry. Fourth, we will accelerate green and low-carbon development.

Song, a member of the Party group and deputy director of the Hebei Industry and Information Department, introduced to the Party that in recent years, Hebei's iron and steel industry has strengthened its transformation and constantly broken new roads. First, we will unswervingly cut overcapacity and achieve remarkable results in energy conservation and emission reduction. The second is to strengthen technological innovation, and the added value of products continues to increase; The third is to strengthen intellectual transformation, and the typical application scenarios are constantly expanding. In the next step, Hebei iron and steel industry should focus on high-end transformation, intelligent transformation, green transformation, and forging industry development of new quality productivity.

In the afternoon, Wang Guangrui, General manager of Xuzhou Jinhong Steel, Zhu Guosen, Deputy general manager of Shougang, Xu Xiaohong, President of CITIC Pacific Special Steel Research Institute, Zhong Shaoliang, Deputy Director General of World Steel Association and Chief representative of Beijing Representative Office (detailed report will be sent separately), Zhou Bihua, Vice president and co-founder of Jiangsu Kunlun Interconnect Technology Co., LTD., Gao Sheng, Deputy Director of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Metallurgical Planning Institute (presided over the work) (detailed report will be issued separately) respectively from the development situation, technological innovation, carbon reduction challenges, and the development of electric furnace steel to promote the high-quality development of the steel industry.

The meeting was guided by the Steel Association, hosted by the Metallurgical Planning Institute, and co-sponsored by Henan Iron and Steel, Yaxin Iron and Steel, Jiangsu Kunlun Interconnection Technology Co., LTD. About 300 representatives from relevant national ministries, local government departments, relevant industry associations and steel enterprises attended the meeting.