Taiwan voices repeal export control of scrap in dialogue

Japanese steel industries government and steel industry delegations held 9th talks in last week in Taipei. Japan required to Taiwan to repeal the export regulation of ferrous scrap. Japanese electric furnace steel makers complained about the regulation as unfair. Taiwan replied that they abolished the export regulation of billet and rebar in this September. Furthermore, they explained a policy, which they abolish the regulation of scrap in future too. Japan are going to require of repeal such a regulation in Japan-South Korea steel dialogue which scheduled within the year.

Taiwanese government regulated the export of billet, rebar and ferrous scrap since this March. Taiwan exported 60,000 tonnes ferrous scrap to Japan in 2005 and the country is the largest exporter to Japan. But the export to Japan decreased to 30,000 tonnes in 2007.

Japan and Taiwan concerned argued about overcapacity of China and the increase of Japanese stainless steel export to Taiwan. Taiwanese pointed Japanese stainless steel increased by 30% in January-July from a year earlier. Japanese answered that the export was lower level in Jan-Jul in 2007 when demand for home was high.

They forecasted that steel demand in whole eastern Asia would soften from economy stagnancy and financial crisis in USA.