In 1949, the iron and steel industry of the People's Republic of China made a difficult start amidst the ruins of war. During the First Five-Year Plan (1953–1957), the state concentrated its efforts on developing Anshan Iron and Steel (Ansteel) into its first major production base, while also constructing the Wuhan Iron and Steel Company and the Baotou Iron and Steel Company. A nationwide "mass steelmaking campaign" was launched in 1958. The 1960s saw the industry weather challenges such as natural disasters; following the economic readjustment of 1961, it entered a second "golden age," only to suffer severe damage during the "Cultural Revolution" that began in 1966.
Following the launch of Reform and Opening-up in 1978, steel enterprises began to reform: the construction of Baosteel commenced, and Shougang (Capital Steel) implemented a contract responsibility system. The 1980s marked the transition from a planned economy to a market economy, giving rise to the "Handan Steel Experience." In the 1990s, Ma'anshan Iron and Steel (Magang) went public as the first listed Chinese steel company, while established bases like Ansteel and Bensteel underwent technological upgrades. During the "10th Five-Year Plan" period (2001–2005), steel enterprises enhanced their international competitiveness, addressed anti-dumping lawsuits, and engaged in mergers and restructuring. During the "11th Five-Year Plan" period (2006–2010), the industry implemented the Scientific Outlook on Development and further advanced corporate mergers and restructuring.
After the 2008 global financial crisis, the market contracted, and China's steel industry fell into a predicament of overcapacity. A turning point occurred in 2012 with the "September 5th Meeting," as the industry began to focus on transformation and upgrading. Since 2016, driven by the deepening of supply-side structural reform, the steel industry has embarked on a path to recovery. In 2018, the industry achieved record-high economic performance. Since 2016, the sector has maintained a safety record of zero major accidents.
Entering the "14th Five-Year Plan" period, China's metallurgical industry firmly holds the top global position in the output of key products, with a significantly optimized product structure. By 2025, the steel industry's crude steel output reached approximately 980 million tonnes-accounting for 54% of the global total-with high-end steel products exceeding 45% of the total; meanwhile, the non-ferrous metals industry produced 71 million tonnes of ten major non-ferrous metals, representing 58% of global output. Notably, the aluminum industry has made significant strides in recycled aluminum output, profitability, and exports, reflecting optimized industrial structure and enhanced efficiency. The industry has established the world's most comprehensive industrial chain, with markedly improved self-reliance in key areas; for instance, dependence on imported iron ore dropped from 80% in 2020 to 65%. Guided by the "Dual Carbon" strategy, the green and low-carbon transition has become the core development path. Frontier technologies such as hydrogen metallurgy are accelerating toward commercial application; using hydrogen as a reducing agent to replace traditional carbon-based reduction represents a key breakthrough for achieving zero-carbon emissions in ironmaking. Meanwhile, the widespread adoption of intelligent manufacturing and automation upgrades-including AI-driven steelmaking and digital twin factories-has boosted production efficiency and quality. The industry's development model has shifted from scale-based expansion to a focus on quality and innovation. In the first quarter of 2026, the business climate index for the non-ferrous metals industry trended upward, and corporate confidence strengthened, signaling continued improvement in operational conditions.
Between 2025 and early 2026, the industry achieved a series of breakthroughs in key low-carbon metallurgical technologies. On August 28, 2025, the world's first pilot production line for fluidized-bed hydrogen metallurgy-powered by green electricity and green hydrogen-successfully completed its full-process integration. On December 30, 2025, the world's first project for capturing CO2 from converter gas and utilizing it as a resource in steelmaking (with an annual capacity of 30,000 tons) successfully commenced operations. In 2025, a fully domestically developed, 10,000-ton-scale demonstration line for hydrogen-based shaft furnace technology was fully completed in Weiyuan, Sichuan. In 2026, fully domestically developed pneumatic conveying equipment for hot direct-reduced iron (DRI) from hydrogen-based shaft furnaces was successfully put into operation at Baosteel Zhanjiang Iron & Steel, marking a significant technological breakthrough. These developments demonstrate China's substantial progress in the field of low-carbon metallurgical technology.
