AFP, Brussels :
China firmly defended its efforts to address the steel crisis on Monday, rebutting accusations that its cheap exports were causing plant closures and job losses across the globe.
Ministers and top officials from steel-producing nations met in Brussels to address the crisis in a first round of talks described as “frank” by co-organiser Belgium.
“China does not subsidise its steel export industry. Everything we do is in strict compliance with World Trade Organization rules,” China’s Assistant Trade Minister Ji Zhang said after the talks ended.
“The financial crisis has led to slowdown in the world economy. This is the fundamental reason for steel over-capacity,” he added.
China’s position was strongly contradicted by other producing nations, with a top US official warning Beijing about the economic hardship brought to steel-making regions in the United States.
