According to data released by the Stainless Steel Council of China Special Steel Enterprise Association (CSSC), China's crude stainless steel output totaled 4.405 million tons in the first quarter of this year, rising by 9.52% year on year.
Among them, 2.1331 million tons were chromium-nickel based stainless steel, up by 7.65%; 1.2944 million tons were chromium-manganese based stainless steel, increasing by 4.54% and 977,000 tons were chromium based stainless steel, soaring by 21.82%, all compared to those in the same period of a year ago.
Meanwhile, China imported 167,200 tons of stainless steel in the first quarter of this year, falling by 15.64% and the country's exports of stainless steel totaled 715,000 tons, surging by 58.19%, both compared to the figures in the same quarter of 2012.
In the given period of time, China's apparent consumption of stainless steel totaled 3.3286 million tons, up by 3.62% year on year.