China imported less than one million tons of steel products in December last year, the lowest monthly figure in seven years as economic downturn sapped demands, the General Administration of Customs reported on February 7.

The imports have posted a drastic slump since middle last year as the global financial crisis began to hurt the real economy. Only 929,000 tons were imported in December, sharply down from the 1.44 million tons in July and 30.4 percent less from a year ago, Customs data showed.

(Shanghai Daily February 9, 2009)