Here's how much more steel China will need for its new megacity

China's new project to build a megacity on the outskirts of Beijing will drive steel demand, with the country likely gobbling up an extra 12 to 14 million metric tons of the commodity a year if plans are implemented in 10 years, Citi Research analysts said in a note released on Tuesday.

While the amount will just be a minuscule proportion of the nearly 1.63 billion tons in global crude steel production last year according to the World Steel Association, it will nonetheless provide "greater certainty on continuation of Chinese steel demand at high levels," wrote Citi analysts.

The global steel industry has been under duress in recent years, with largest producer and consumer China under scrutiny for alleged dumping of the commodity on international markets due to domestic over-capacity.

The newest special economic zone of Xiongan in Hebei was announced on Saturday in a bid to boost domestic growth in a province that has been hit by massive job layoffs from heavy industries as China moves to maneuver economic growth away from manufacturing toward services.

With well-connected infrastructure and reasonably high urban density, Xiongan will need 25-30 million tons of steel for residential infrastructure, another 35-40 million tons for the non-residential floor space, 35-40 million tons for the transportation and logistics infrastructure and 25-30 million tons for other utilities and infrastructure, Citi said.

Bloomberg

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