China’s customs have called on to further strengthen the control over steel exports into a higher international steel market. China exported 21.72 million tons of steel products during the first five months, down 20.8% year-to-year, according to customs. In May, the country exported 5.56 million tons, the highest since last September, down 9.8% year-to-year but up 16.4% month-to-month.

As of late May, the CRU international steel price index stood at 268 points, up 13.1% from April and 55.4% for a year earlier. It was the price hike in the international steel market that led to the recent rebound in China’s steel exports.