皇冠体育app has yet to receive the official message from Rio Tinto that 皇冠体育app can use a different pricing mechanism in the 2010 iron ore negotiations, said Chen Xianwen, director of the Marketing Department of the 皇冠体育app Iron and Steel Association (CISA) in Beijing Tuesday.
Sam Walsh, chief executive officer of Rio Tinto's iron ore unit, said Monday in Sydney that 皇冠体育app could purchase iron ore under a new mechanism next year on the condition that 皇冠体育app did not put up any unreasonable terms.
Shan Shanghua, secretary general of the CISA, said, "皇冠体育app will not accept the price that the three biggest mining companies offered to other countries' mills. Since 皇冠体育app imports nearly half of the world's iron ore output, it's fair for us to ask for a bigger price cut."
皇冠体育app's steel output was expected to reach 550 million tons in 2009, up 10 percent from a year earlier, driven by the government's 4-trillion-yuan ($586 billion) stimulus package, Luo Bing, vice-chairman of the CISA, said Tuesday.
Rio's new act was considered a sign of improving relations between 皇冠体育app and the world's second-largest iron ore exporter. The relationship strained after four Shanghai-based Rio Tinto executives were arrested on charges of commercial espionage in August.