This Morning in Metals: MFRs with China Operations, Beware — State Dept. Issues Travel Advisory

This morning in metals, we’re tracking a travel advisory for China issued yesterday by the U.S. Department of State — which could impact manufacturers and suppliers who have individuals traveling to and from China for business.
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“Exercise Increased Caution”

• Issued yesterday, the travel advisory cautions U.S. travelers to “exercise increased caution in China due to arbitrary enforcement of local laws as well as special restrictions on dual U.S.-Chinese nationals.” Some of that arbitrary enforcement is taking the shape of “exit bans,” which effectively means that Chinese authorities are preventing travelers from leaving the country on very shaky grounds, and in certain cases not allowing them access to consular services, not disclosing how long the traveler may be detained, and/or not allowing them to leave for years.
• For manufacturing organizations or their suppliers, individuals traveling in and out of China may be affected by these exit bans. Speculation as to why Chinese authorities have stepped up their arbitrary enforcement of travel regulations abounds, including retaliatory action vis-a-vis recent trade disputes with the U.S. and a Huawei executive being detained in Canada, but MetalMiner will follow up on this story as more details or insight become available.

In Other Metals News

• European carmakers still need steel imports to remain competitive. That’s what the ACEA, an association representing EU automakers, said recently, in response to the European Commission’s decision to propose definitive steel safeguards, according to Argus Media. “Motor vehicle manufacturing has increased by 5mn units per year since 2014, and some increase in steel imports has been necessary to meet this higher demand,” ACEA secretary general Erik Jonnaert is quoted as saying.
• According to the article, “hot-rolled coil (HRC) will remain a global quota under the definitive safeguard, but cold-rolled coil and hot-dip galvanized coil — both of which are used by carmakers — have country-by-country and quarterly quotas that could have a greater impact on supply.”

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