Export Barriers Take Effect: How Can Coated Steel Exporters Break Through?
Global Trade Friction Escalates, Chinese Coated Steel Exports Face Encirclement
July 9, 2026
Since 2026, global trade barriers against Chinese coated steel have been implemented with unprecedented intensity. From East Asia to the Middle East, from Europe to South America, major export markets for Chinese coated steel products such as galvanized sheets, color-coated sheets, and aluminized zinc sheets have erected high tariff barriers almost simultaneously, posing an unprecedented "encirclement" to Chinese coated steel exports.
Three Core Markets Simultaneously Lock Down Barriers
In early June this year, the three major steel-consuming markets in East Asia and the Middle East successively imposed trade restrictions on cold-rolled steel sheets from China, creating a rare "triple barrier" impact.
South Korea imposed provisional anti-dumping duties on Chinese galvanized cold-rolled steel for a period of four months starting June 12, with rates ranging from 22.34% to 33.67%. The tax covers cold-rolled sheets and coils with a thickness of less than 4.75 mm that are coated with galvanized, zinc-aluminum, or zinc-aluminum-manganese steel, including corrugated products and painted, varnished, and plastic-coated products. South Korea has long been among the top three export markets for galvanized products to China. From April 2025 to April 2026, China's exports of coated steel sheets and strips to South Korea reached 1.6425 million tons, accounting for approximately 8.5% of total exports, with an export value of approximately US$980 million. Industry estimates suggest that if South Korea maintains the high tax rate in its final ruling in October, exports of galvanized and cold-rolled steel to South Korea may decline by more than 10% year-on-year this year.
In mid-June, Turkey issued a final ruling imposing anti-dumping duties of 22.37% to 32.40% on cold-rolled steel sheets, galvanized steel sheets, and color-coated sheets from China, with a validity period of up to five years. Data shows that from January 2025 to April 2026, China's exports of color-coated steel sheets to Turkey reached 552,700 tons, galvanized steel sheets 279,700 tons, and cold-rolled sheet 245,400 tons, totaling over one million tons. Following the final ruling, this core Middle Eastern export channel will shrink significantly.
Japan simultaneously initiated an anti-dumping investigation into cold-rolled sheet coils. Previously, after Japan initiated an anti-dumping investigation into galvanized products, China's exports to Japan had already decreased significantly by 80.8%.
The global anti-dumping network continues to expand. Besides East Asia and the Middle East, trade barriers in other major markets are also accelerating. In February of this year, the Brazilian Foreign Trade Committee issued an affirmative final ruling on anti-dumping duties on galvanized and aluminized zinc sheet coils originating from China, deciding to impose anti-dumping duties for a period of five years, with duties ranging from US$284.98 to US$709.63 per ton. Vietnam implemented anti-dumping measures on galvanized sheet in August 2025, while Thailand initiated an anti-circumvention investigation. With the EU previously doubling its safeguard tariffs on steel imports from 25% to 50%, truly open steel trading destinations worldwide are now few and far between.
Data shows that from January to April 2026, China's cumulative exports of coated steel sheets reached 7.14 million tons, a year-on-year decrease of 7.4%. In markets implementing anti-dumping measures, China's steel exports declined significantly: Turkey saw a 40.7% year-on-year decrease, Brazil a 43.9% decrease, and Pakistan a 48.3% decrease.
Exporters' Strategies for Breaking Through
Faced with an increasingly severe export environment, coated steel exporters need to seek breakthroughs in the following areas:
First, market diversification. While traditional advantageous markets are hampered, regions in Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East with limited local supply capacity still maintain a strong market presence. Countries along the Belt and Road Initiative and emerging markets in Southeast Asia still offer growth potential; exporters should accelerate the development of new destinations to diversify the risks of relying on a single market.
Second, product differentiation and upgrading. With the export of low-end general-purpose steel products facing obstacles, high-end differentiated products have become a bright spot. Taking zinc-aluminum-magnesium (ZAM) products as an example, their corrosion resistance is three times that of traditional galvanized sheets, and their service life can reach 30 years, making them the preferred material for photovoltaic brackets. Jinsteel Holding Group's independently developed ZAM products use a rare ratio in the industry, and the coating has a self-healing function at the cut edges, showing no corrosion after over 8000 hours of neutral salt spray testing. From order acceptance to shipment, the company fulfilled its first order from Saudi Arabia in just 18 days, demonstrating "accelerated overseas expansion." High-end differentiated products are not only less affected by trade barriers but also command higher product premiums.
Thirdly, supply chain efficiency is improved. Against the backdrop of rising tariff costs, overall competitiveness is enhanced by improving production efficiency and shortening delivery cycles. Jinsteel has introduced an AI-powered scrap steel grading and integrated production and sales system, achieving intelligent control throughout the entire process. The accuracy rate of scrap steel grading reaches 97%, unloading efficiency is increased by nearly one-third, and energy consumption per ton of steel is reduced by 10 kg of standard coal.
Fourthly, close attention is paid to policy windows. The provisional anti-dumping duties imposed by South Korea are only valid for four months (until October 11). Before the final ruling is officially implemented, companies can still accept orders from South Korea to a certain extent. Exporters should closely monitor the dynamic changes in trade policies of various countries, seize the policy window, and rationally arrange their export pace.
Conclusion: 2026 is destined to be a year of profound reshaping for China's coated steel export landscape. While the concentrated implementation of trade barriers brings enormous pressure in the short term, it also forces the industry to accelerate its shift from "price competition" to "value competition." Those companies that can quickly adjust their market layout, increase product added value, and optimize supply chain efficiency will gain an advantage in the new round of global competition.