Supply-side reform promotes high-quality development of steel | Revelation of the rise of big country steel

In the 40 years of reform and opening up, the steel industry has opened up the road in the mountains and bridged the water, achieving 40 years from small to large and from big to excellent.
The magnificent reform and opening up for 40 years is the 40 years in which the iron and steel industry has overcome difficulties, continuously eased the contradiction between supply and demand, adjusted the structure, and optimized and upgraded.
The magnificent reform and opening up for 40 years is a 40-year period in which the steel industry is constantly striving for self-improvement and transforming from high-speed development to high-quality development.
Especially since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the iron and steel industry has held high the great banner of socialism with Chinese characteristics, unswervingly implemented the decision-making arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, and unswervingly and comprehensively promoted supply-side structural reforms, focusing on key tasks such as de-capacity and persistence. The combination of stock adjustment and increment is better, smooth operation and improvement of quality and efficiency, based on the current and long-term co-ordination, depicting the magnificent poems of high-quality development in the new era, playing the gorgeous movement of the new era of steel power.
From small to large, the era of lack of steel and iron is completely over
Snow mud claws, history left marks. Recalling the past, we find that history always makes a series of imprints in our lives. "National nails", "foreign iron barrels" and "foreign iron shovel"... These ordinary production and living tools with the word "foreign" are the true portrayal of China's steel industry's lack of ability and "lack of clothing and short food." "There is no way for steel to travel all over the world, no steel is difficult." The construction of the country requires steel. The people can not lack steel for production and life. The establishment of a sound steel industry system has become a eager expectation of the country and the people. It has also strengthened the development and promotion of the steel industry. The unshirkable responsibility of the state construction.
The steel industry in New China was built on the ruins from scratch. It has not only withstood the test of the withdrawal of experts from the former Soviet Union, but also passed the "Great Leap Forward" detour of the people's steel, and also suffered a decade of "cultural revolution." "Severe interference and frustration." However, the tenacious Chinese steel has not been ruined. In 1978, the steel industry ushered in a spring breeze of reform and opening up, and a hot reform began. Baosteel laid the "first" construction of modern steel group, and Shougang became the first pilot unit of national economic system reform... China's steel industry ushered in a period of rapid development.

Historical data, the data is evidence. From 1978 to 1992, China's steel industry introduced more than 700 advanced technologies, using foreign capital of 6 billion yuan, fixed assets investment of 146.543 billion yuan, and newly built two modern large steel mills of Baosteel and Tianjin seamless steel pipes, actively promoting the modernization of steel enterprises. Large-scale development. At the same time, private steel enterprises began to embark on the historical stage, and their development vitality is growing. Taking Jiangsu Province as an example, in 1991, the total industrial output value of township metallurgical enterprises in Jiangsu Province was about 9 billion yuan; at the end of 1993, the total output value reached 29.7 billion yuan, accounting for about 2/3 of the total metallurgical output value of Jiangsu Province. Private steel enterprises and state-owned steel enterprises have achieved rapid and simultaneous development, and the two development forces have gathered together to paint a contour of a steel power in the historical picture. In 1996, China's crude steel output exceeded 100 million tons, ranking first in the world. In 2017, China's crude steel output reached 832 million tons, a 25-fold increase over 1978, with an average annual growth rate of 8.7%. China has been stable for 22 consecutive years. It ranks first in the world in crude steel production and has become a well-deserved world "steel boss", completely eradicating the era of steel shortage.

Overcapacity, de-capacity action kicks off
Since the reform and opening up, with the deepening of industrialization, China's economy has continued to develop at a high speed, and the demand for basic raw materials such as steel has been expanding. Under the regulation of the market, in order to meet domestic demand, investment in the steel industry, especially private investment, has flourished. At present, the production capacity of private enterprises has accounted for more than half of the country's total production capacity.
Since the reform and opening up, when we enjoyed the dividends brought about by the rapid development of the steel industry, we also clearly see that with the arrival of the turning point of the total consumption and the increasing volume of the steel industry, the scale of the steel industry has exceeded market demand. The “small meat” of the steel industry began to break through the outer layer of apparent consumption, which was revealed.
China's steel output exceeded 100 million tons in 1996, and in 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2013, it exceeded 200 million tons, 300 million tons, 400 million tons, and 5 100 million tons, 600 million tons, 700 million tons, and 800 million tons have been maintained at a scale of more than 800 million tons since then.

The steel output has grown rapidly, and the problem of oversupply has attracted the attention of relevant state departments. In March 2006, the “Notice of the State Council on Accelerating the Structural Adjustment of Overcapacity Industry” was released, pointing out that the steel industry has become oversupplied, and proposed to control new projects and eliminate backward production capacity. On April 27, 2007, the National Development and Reform Commission and the local governments of 10 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) signed a letter of responsibility for shutting down and eliminating backward steel production capacity (the first batch); on December 27, the National Development and Reform Commission and 18 provinces (autonomous regions) And municipalities and Baosteel signed a letter of responsibility for shutting down and eliminating backward steel production capacity (second batch), requiring a total of 49.31 million tons of ironmaking capacity and 36.1 million tons of steelmaking capacity to be shut down and eliminated in 2010, involving 573 enterprises.

The outbreak of the world financial crisis in 2008 caused a deep reflection on the structural adjustment of the steel industry. In September 2009, the State Council’s 9 ministries and commissions “Several Opinions on Containing Overcapacity in Some Industries and Repeated Construction to Guide the Healthy Development of the Industry” pointed out that it would no longer approve and support steel projects that simply build new capacity or expand capacity, and require 400 cubic meters to be eliminated by the end of 2011. The following blast furnaces, converters below 30 tons and electric furnaces. In October 2013, the State Council issued the “Guiding Opinions on Resolving the Contradictions of Severe Overcapacity” (hereinafter referred to as “Opinions”), and put forward two requirements for the steel industry: First, complete the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” to eliminate backward production capacity targets one year ahead of schedule. On the basis of the mission, 15 million tons of steelmaking capacity will be phased out by 2015. Second, the industrial structure adjustment of Hebei, Shandong and other six regions will be promoted, steel production capacity will be dispersed, and urban steel mills will be relocated. The capacity of the compressed steel industry will exceed 8,000 in the next five years. Ten thousand tons.
However, under the traction of factors such as rapid economic growth, market inertia and extensive development concepts focusing on quantity expansion, steel production capacity is still advancing.

Beginning in 2013, as the domestic tertiary industry began to surpass the secondary industry, China entered the peak platform area of crude steel production and consumption. In 2014, as China's economy entered a new normal, various deep-seated problems that were concealed during the period of rapid economic growth began to erupt, and the efficiency of the steel industry continued to decline. By 2015, China's steel consumption and output both entered the peak arc region and showed a downward trend. The domestic apparent consumption of crude steel was 700 million tons, down 5.4% year-on-year, and declined for two consecutive years; -645 billion yuan, the sales profit rate was -2.23%, the steel industry entered an overall loss state, with a loss of 50.5%, an increase of 33.67 percentage points year-on-year... The development of the steel industry entered an unprecedented "severe winter" period.
In order to solve the problem of “obesity” in the iron and steel industry and promote the development of the steel industry, the Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2015 listed the de-capacity as the “five major tasks” of economic work in 2016, and clearly defined “multiple mergers and acquisitions, The idea of less bankruptcy and liquidation has raised the importance of capacity to an unprecedented height. This is a recipe for the high-quality development of the future steel industry by the party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core. The vigorous and vigorous capacity-raising action has begun.
In February 2016, the “Opinions of the State Council on Resolving the Excessive Production Capacity of the Iron and Steel Industry to Relieve Development” (hereinafter referred to as the “Opinions”) was officially announced, clearly stipulated that during the “13th Five-Year Plan” period, the capacity of crude steel production should be reduced from 100 million tons to 150 million tons. mission target. The de-capacity work enters the countdown phase.

Thunder action, will go to the end of the capacity
The promulgation of the "Opinions" has tightened the clockwork. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To go to production capacity is like going against the water, and if you don't advance, you will retreat."
Under the cordial care and guidance of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the steel industry is eager to work hard and pledge to do what it has to do for many years.
On April 13, 2016, the National Development and Reform Commission held a press conference and pointed out that with the approval of the State Council, the inter-ministerial joint meeting system for the elimination of excess capacity and the development of the depletion of the steel and coal industry (hereinafter referred to as the inter-ministerial joint meeting) was established. Relevant departments of the Inter-Ministerial Joint Conference have researched and formulated 8 special supporting policy documents on supporting steel and coal to resolve excess capacity and development of poverty alleviation in terms of fiscal and taxation financial support, staff resettlement, land, environmental protection, quality and safety. Capacity work.

Deepening the structural reform of the supply side and resolving the excess capacity, the steel industry's “strength and thin body” began to stir up.
First, the intensity of capacity has never been seen before. On June 14, 2016, Li Pumin, Secretary-General and spokesman of the National Development and Reform Commission, said that the relevant provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) have formulated plans to complete the overcapacity of steel and coal industries, and 28 provincial people's governments and Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. It also completed the signing of the responsibility book for the steel and coal industry to resolve excess capacity and achieve the goal of development. In 2016, the central award-added funds have also been allocated to the local government, and steel and coal to resolve excess capacity have entered the stage of full implementation.
On July 7, 2016, Xu Shaoshi, then director of the National Development and Reform Commission, clearly pointed out that the target responsibility letter signed by the provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government) was a military order at the national video conference on the development of excess capacity in the steel and coal industry. It is necessary to conscientiously implement the requirements of "the provincial people's governments have the overall responsibility for the resolution of excess capacity in the region." Those that have not been completed will be seriously pursued.
On December 14, 2016, the relevant person in charge of the Industry Coordination Department of the National Development and Reform Commission said in an interview with the reporter of China Metallurgical News that the inter-ministerial joint meeting has organized 10 sampling inspection teams to conduct random inspections and acceptances to ensure that the production capacity is truly retreating.
Through the joint efforts of all parties, the majority of steel companies have gone to the capacity of strong men and broken hands. By the end of 2017, China’s cumulative withdrawal of crude steel production capacity exceeded 120 million tons.

The second is to ban the “strand steel” and continue to pressurize. “Dimensional steel” is a “cancer” that disrupts the market order of the steel industry. If the “strip steel” is not removed, the high-quality development of the steel industry will have no standardized soil, and there will be no solid foundation.
On December 16, 2016, the National Development and Reform Commission and other six ministries and commissions issued the "Supplementary Notice on Resolutely Curbing the New Capacity of Steel and Coal Violation to Combat the "Dimensional Steel" Code to Build Production and Operation Order", indicating that all localities should check the "Ground Steel" The situation and the reported results are strictly responsible, and the problem will be strictly investigated.
On January 25, 2017, the "Re-Notice on Resolutely Curbing the New Capacity of Steel and Coal Violation to Combat the "Dimensional Steel" Code to Build Production and Operation Orders" issued by the Inter-Ministerial Joint Meeting clearly stated that it will ensure the complete ban of "ground" in the first half of 2017. Strip steel".

Subsequently, the inter-ministerial meeting issued a series of policy documents, organized three large-scale inspections (spot checks), achieved full coverage nationwide, and banned 140 million tons of “strip steel” capacity, “bad money drives out good money” The phenomenon has been effectively reversed, effectively purifying the market environment, regulating market order, and greatly improving the quality and efficiency of supply.
Third, it is strictly forbidden to add new capacity without leaving gaps. In 2018, the government work report proposes to reduce the capacity of crude steel production capacity by 30 million tons, and will continue to actively carry out work related to the resolution of excess capacity to ensure the completion of the "13th Five-Year" steel capacity of 100 million tons to 150 million tons. Target task. From January to July this year, we reduced the crude steel production capacity by 24.7 million tons and completed more than 80% of the annual 30 million tons of capacity-removing tasks. This year, we will complete the “13th Five-Year” 150 million tons of steel production capacity caps ahead of schedule. .

The completion of the phased missions did not give the inter-ministerial joint meeting a chance to relax. On December 31, 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology issued the “Measures for the Implementation of Capacity Replacement in the Steel Industry” (hereinafter referred to as the “Measures”), clearly stating that it is strictly forbidden to increase the production capacity of steel and continue to do capacity replacement work. The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and the relevant departments will take various forms of measures to strengthen post-event supervision, including accepting supervision from all walks of life, organizing regular self-examinations and irregular spot checks. Strictly pursue the violation of the "Measures", such as the failure to implement the capacity replacement, the lax audit and replacement program, and the implementation of the capacity replacement.

The rigorous after-the-fact supervision and strict accountability system have all declared to the society and the world that the Chinese government does not evade and slacken for the global problem of overcapacity of steel, and has the confidence to maintain the health of the steel industry. steady development. China's Thunder Action to de-capacity has also made great contributions to the healthy development of the steel industry, and has won recognition and appreciation including Japan, Germany and other countries.
From big to strong, high quality development

After years of hard work, China's crude steel capacity utilization rate has exceeded 80%, supply and demand have reached a basic balance, steel prices have gradually returned to a reasonable range, and corporate benefits have improved significantly, driving the overall efficiency of global steel to increase significantly. From January to September, steel association members and steel enterprises realized a total profit of 229.963 billion yuan, exceeding the total profit for the whole year of 2017, an increase of 86.01%.

However, while seeing the results, we must still clearly understand that the lack of research and development capacity of high-performance, high-tech and high value-added products in the steel industry still exists, and the key core materials rely on imports have not been obtained. Solved fundamentally. Accelerating the promotion of high-quality development of the steel industry, moving towards the high-end of the global value chain, and becoming the direction of struggle in the future, is also the fundamental purpose of fully promoting the supply-side structural reform.
When inspecting Zhangjiakou in Hebei Province, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that de-capacity, especially to steel production capacity, is the highlight of Hebei's supply-side structural reform and “hard bones”. It is also a key policy for Hebei to adjust and optimize its industrial structure and foster new economic growth. . The profound philosophy contained in this sentence applies not only to Hebei Province, but also to the steel industry across the country.
When inspecting Taigang, Premier Li Keqiang also emphasized that the elimination of surplus and backward production capacity is an important part of the supply-side structural reform. Enterprises must continue to advance unswervingly, focus on developing high-end products, reduce redundant personnel, and increase labor productivity.

In the new era, we must profoundly understand the core essence and innovative viewpoint of Xi Jinping's socialist thought with Chinese characteristics in the new era, closely surrounding the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping as the core, arming the mind with new development concepts, speeding up the adjustment and optimization of the industrial structure, and vigorously Cultivate new kinetic energy, focus on the development of high-end products, and strive to promote the supply-side structural reforms in a timely manner, and strive to promote new developments in the high-quality development of the steel industry.
                   
                                                                                                                                                                                                      

                                                                                                                                                                                                           Excerpt from: China Metallurgical News