China saw a double-digit, year-on-year decline in steels export in June, which was triggered mainly by a drastic reduction in sales to southeastern Asia, Vietnam in particular, the General Administration of Customs said on Sunday.

In June, China sold 5.22 million tons of rolled steel abroad, a decrease of 6 percent from May, or 17.9 percent from the same month of last year.

Net exports stood at 3.96 million tons, down 6.16 percent from the previous month, or 20 percent from a year earlier.

In the first half of this year, rolled steel exports amounted to 26.94 million tons, down 20.2 percent from the same period of last year. The exports were valued at US$25.3 billion, however, up 12.9 percent year-on-year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 14, 2008)