The Economics of the East Asia Steel Industries

This text has a thematical focus on the economics of the East Asia steel industries. Its objective is to investigate the changes in the emerging Asia steel markets such as China, Korea and the Asean countries, with a view to drawing policy implications for global steel production, consumption and trade. This work also analyzes iron and steel usage in Southeast Asian countries, including intensity-of-use studies and an investigation of trade patterns and the economic environment for strategic decision making in the steel industry. It identifies the changes taking place in the Chinese iron and steel industry; the continued growth and scope for improving the efficiency in steel production. It also discusses: the structure of the economy of Western Australia highlighting the evolution of its minerals sector; the contrast between a resource-rich economy and labour-abundant countries in Asia; and an analysis of the possiblity for further trade between the two regions, with an emphasis on the WA-Korea relationship.