Mining and Industry in China

Three of the industries that have made China a global leader are aluminum, steel, and paper.

Paper:

The development of the China’s pulp and paper industry is drawing increasing interest among scholars, policy makers, and international producers. Chinese paper and paperboard production ranked No.2 in the world, and reached 49.50 million metric tons in 2004 and increased to 56 million in 2005. In 2005, Chinese consumption of paper and paperboard reached 59.3 million metric tons. Chinese pulp production, which attained 14.18 million metric tons in 2004, was also one of the top 3 producers in the world since 1995.

Steel:

China underwent rapid economic industrialization since Deng Xiaoping's capitalist reforms, which took place 3 decades ago in 1978. The steel industry gradually increased it output. China's annual crude steel output was 100 million tons in 1996. It produced 123 million tons of steel in 1999. After its ascension to the WTO it aggressively expanded its production for its growing appetite of manufacturing industries such as automotive vehicles, consumer electronics and building materials. The Chinese steel industry is dominated by a number of large state-owned groups, which are owned via shareholdings by local authorities, provincial governments and even the central authorities. The biggest steel groups are Baosteel, Angang Steel Company, Wuhan Iron and Steel, Anshan, Tangshan, Shagang Group and Hebei Iron and Steel.

Aluminum:

China’s central government is showing a renewed commitment to cut overcapacity in the country’s aluminum industry. The question now is whether local governments will refrain from meddling in the plan to improve efficiency in making the metal. Whether or not China can implement the changes could play a pivotal role in the direction of global prices. The National Development and Reform Commission said Monday that efficient aluminum producers will continue to pay the same rates they’re used to, but less-efficient producers will have to pay more.