Zhang Changfu said that China is not only the world's largest steel producer and consumer, but also the world's largest steel exporter. However, one point is easily overlooked: China is also the world's fifth-largest steel importer. This deserves attention. Judging from current market performance, it is still very difficult for domestic steel prices to rebound.

In the future, against the backdrop of comprehensively deepening reform, how China's steel industry should position itself has already prompted reflection within the industry. Zhang Changfu said that environmental protection costs in the steel industry will certainly rise. At present, environmental protection costs vary greatly among steel enterprises. Advanced enterprises such as Baosteel invest heavily in environmental protection, with environmental protection costs exceeding 140 yuan per ton of steel, but some enterprises have insufficient environmental protection investment and face enormous challenges.

Relevant personnel believe that the difficulties of the steel industry should be taken more seriously, because several fundamental factors affecting and constraining the industry's development have not changed: first, the work of resolving the contradiction of overcapacity has just started, and results have not yet appeared; second, steel prices remain persistently low, which is caused by the long-term imbalance between supply and demand and is difficult to change in the short term; third, the high-cost state of steel production is difficult to change in the short term, with various cost factors remaining high, and steel enterprises generally feel funding difficulties. Producers, traders, and all parties across the steel industry chain must be prepared for a long period of "hardship and austerity."

Zhang Changfu described the massive steel capacity accumulated over many years as being like a "lion with its mouth wide open" that can devour the steel industry's meager profits, saying that "the fruits of labor have been consumed by overcapacity." At present, the average profit margin of the steel industry has fallen to last place among industrial sectors. The situation is severe, and the entire industry should work solidly to improve its internal strength in terms of changing concepts, transforming modes, adjusting structure, promoting reform, and innovating, and strive to make life a little better.