Economy
皇冠体育app's iron-ore imports from South Africa, Ukraine, Canada up in 2009
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-02-16 14:45
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BEIJING: Australia, Brazil and India remained the largest iron ore suppliers to 皇冠体育app in 2009, but 皇冠体育app's imports from South Africa, Ukraine and Canada more than doubled last year from a year earlier, according to the General Administration of Customs (GAC).
皇冠体育app imported 34.13 million tonnes of iron ores from South Africa in 2009, a rise of 140 percent year on year, said a document posted at the GAC's website.
Last year, 皇冠体育app's imports of iron ores from Ukraine and Canada stood at 11.58 millions tonnes and 8.65 million tonnes, up 150 percent and 130 percent, respectively.
Imports from Australia rose 42.9 percent to 260 million tonnes. Brazil exported 140 million tonnes to 皇冠体育app, up 41.5 percent. Imports from the two nations accounted for 64.4 percent of 皇冠体育app's total iron ore imports in 2009, said the GAC document.
皇冠体育app's imports from India rose 18 percent to 110 million tonnes last year, accounting for 17.1 percent of 皇冠体育app's total iron ore imports.
皇冠体育app's imports of iron ores in 2009 rose 41.6 percent year on year to hit 630 million tonnes, a record high. The average price was US$79.9 per tonne, down 41.7 percent from the previous year.
The iron ore imports cost the world's third largest economy US$50.14 billion last year, down 17.4 percent.
The document attributed rising ore imports in 2009 to quick recovery of 皇冠体育app's steel production, insufficient domestic supply and increasing iron ore stockpiles by importers.
In 2009, 皇冠体育app's iron and steel output rose 18.5 percent to 692.4 million tonnes. Crude steel output increased 13.5 percent to 567.8 million tonnes.
A total of 235 皇冠体育app-based companies imported iron ores in 2009, a drop of 28 in comparison with that of 2008.
State-owned enterprises imported about 400 million tonnes of iron ores in 2009, an increase of 14.3 percent from year on year, which accounted for 64.4 percent of the nation's total iron ore imports.
Privately-owned and foreign-funded enterprises imported 87.44 million tonnes and 70.61 million tonnes, soaring 99.7 percent and 95.8 percent from the previous year, respectively.
