Baosteel, China’s largest listed steel company, gave a subdued outlook for steel demand in China this year, forecasting demand growth of only three per cent for the commodity used in everything from washing machines to construction beams.

中国最大上市钢铁公司宝钢(Baosteel)认为中国今年的钢铁需求前景黯淡，预测钢材需求仅会增长3%。从洗衣机到建筑横梁，钢材用于各种产品。

“We have entered a period of stability,” said He Wenbo, chief executive of Shanghai-based Baosteel, referring to steel demand.

总部位于上海的宝钢的总经理何文波在谈到钢铁需求时表示：“我们已进入一个稳定期。”

“Compared with last year, this year will not be any worse.

“与去年相比，今年不会更糟。”

“But the steel industry had become used to rapid growth, so now that it slows down, it will take some time to get used to that.”

“但钢铁行业已习惯于快速增长，既然增速在放缓，行业将需要一些时间适应。”

If the three per cent expansion materialises, it will be the second year in a row of slow growth for China’s steel industry, which produces nearly half of the steel in the world and accounts for 60 per cent of seaborne trade in iron ore, a key steelmaking ingredient.

如果3%的增长成为现实，这将是中国钢铁行业连续第二年增长缓慢，中国占全球钢铁产量的近一半，占铁矿石海运贸易的60%，铁矿石是炼钢的关键原料。

Earlier this week, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao issued an economic growth target of 7.5 per cent for this year, but warned that it might be difficult to attain.

本周早些时候，中国总理温家宝表示，今年政府确定的经济增长预期目标为7.5%，但他警告称，实现这个增长目标需要付出艰苦努力。

Mr He of Baosteel said the 7.5 per cent growth target would translate into stable demand for commodities this year, without big fluctuations.

何文波表示，7.5%的增长目标预示今年大宗商品需求将保持稳定，不会出现巨大波动。

China’s demand for steel and iron ore is closely watched because it determines the global price of iron ore, which is key to the profitability of mining companies such as BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Vale of Brazil.

中国对钢铁和铁矿石的需求受到密切关注，因为它决定了全球铁矿石价格，后者是必和必拓(BHP Billiton)、力拓(Rio Tinto)和巴西淡水河谷(Vale)等矿业公司盈利能力的关键。

Mr He said he had been telling Baosteel’s suppliers, including BHP, Rio and Vale, that they should prepare for a “big fall” in iron ore prices in several years’ time.

何文波表示，他一直在告诉必和必拓、力拓和巴西淡水河谷等宝钢供应商，要为几年后铁矿石价格“大幅下跌”做好准备。