In today's webinar of “Söz Sizde - Steel Talks”, organized by the Steel Foreign Trade Association and held regularly, "Changing Balances, New Opportunities: An Overview of the Global Economy amid China-US Tensions" was discussed.
The webinar was moderated by Mete Bülent Adalı, Member of the Board of Ege Çelik, and the first speaker, Zuhal Mansfield, Entrepreneur and Foreign Trade Expert, drew attention to the strategic opportunities for Türkiye.
In her speech, Mansfield emphasized that the developments in the eastern part of global trade could offer Türkiye significant advantages, especially in the mining and metal sectors. Reminding that Türkiye is geographically closer to China than the US, Mansfield added that this provides a significant competitive advantage in logistics costs. In addition, Türkiye has a strong potential in terms of product diversity and rich mineral resources, Mansfield stated, "China's increasing demands, especially in the green energy and automotive sectors, open important doors of opportunity for Türkiye. In addition, the fact that Türkiye's political relations with China are balanced and pragmatic is a great advantage."
"Türkiye Stands Out in Critical Minerals"
Zuhal Mansfield stated that China is investing in strategic mining areas around the world, adopting a trade model that is open to partnerships and sensitive to opportunities, and that Türkiye has become an attractive country in this context. Noting that Türkiye can play an important role in the need for semi-processed raw materials, Mansfield expressed that products such as steel plates, cables and processed aluminum can stand out in alternative markets.
"Not Price, but Quality and Confidence, Comes to the Forefront"
Emphasizing that not only price but also quality, reliability and sustainability certificates are more important in the trade relations to be established with China, Mansfield stated, "China is not the old China. Today, quality certifications and sustainability documents have become indispensable for Chinese buyers. Long-term trust needs to be established in relations. Until today, we have seemed to be more price-oriented, but we need to change this approach."
"Türkiye is the World Leader in Boron and Chromium"
Drawing attention to Türkiye's valuable mineral resources, Mansfield stated: "73% of the world's boron reserves are located in Türkiye. This is a very strategic element that strengthens our hand in global competition. However, we need to attract investment in boron derivatives to increase added value." Drawing a similar picture on chromium, she stated, "Although the highest quality chrome ore is found in Türkiye, African countries set the prices. All sector representatives must act with a common strategy on this issue," she warned. Mansfield added that ferro chrome exports would be a more logical choice than direct chrome exports.
"Niche Market Opportunities in Copper, Zinc and Aluminum"
Stating that Türkiye has semi-processed copper reserves, but there is a lack of investment in this area, Mansfield emphasized that there are niche markets for such products in China and that Chinese investors could be attracted to Türkiye. She also pointed out that there are large zinc reserves around Kayseri and added: "Zinc is an important raw material in both battery technologies and construction. This area also offers a serious opportunity to attract investment."
Reminding that Türkiye has a strong production capacity in the aluminum sector, Mansfield drew attention to the importance of low-carbon production. "China is looking for low-carbon aluminum to reduce carbon emissions. It is possible for Türkiye to produce in this field and enter the Chinese market with certified products. However, the social media and communication platforms used by China are different, it is necessary to be visible on their own channels," Mansfield stated, emphasizing digital access. Mansfield also noted that export insurance is of vital importance in trade with China.
"China's Regional Demands and Product Map"
Referring to the changing product demands in different regions of China, Mansfield summarized which products from Türkiye can be sent to which regions as follows:
Guangzhou: An ideal region for refined copper, steel and copper materials. Fast delivery and high quality are expected.
Shanghai: It stands out as a logistics and import-processing center. Ferro chrome, stainless steel, boron derivatives, glass and ceramic products can be exported to this region.
Beijing: Suitable for heavy industry projects. There is high demand for iron and steel products, construction profiles and aluminum sheets.
Sichuan and Chongqing: Important industrial centers that need raw materials such as copper, chrome and aluminum for electric vehicles. However, transportation costs for these regions need to be calculated carefully.
"Rebar, Aluminum and Value-Added Products Stand Out"
Stating that Tükiye can compete with China in rebar and profile production, Mansfield stated, "China is the world leader in construction, while we rank second. While China is slowing down in its domestic market, the potential to cooperate with us in international projects is very high. Our orientation towards semi-alloyed products will provide an advantage in this market."
Finally, Zuhal Mansfield stated that strategic collaborations, quality and certified production, digital visibility and reliable logistics processes are vital for successful foreign trade with China. "If we can utilize Türkiye's potential with the right strategies, we can become an important actor in the global balances arising from the China-US tension," she concluded.
One of the most important topics Zuhal Mansfield drew attention to was rare earth elements. Mansfield stated that these elements are not only technological components, but also the key to global strategic interdependence:
"There are rare earth elements at the heart of a Tesla engine and an F-35 fighter jet. High-tech production is not possible without them. This is now a matter of strategic dependence rather than engineering. China did not build this chain by chance; it has tied the world to itself through these elements. Technology is not just about production, it is about creating dependency."
Drawing attention to the radioactive waste lakes formed in China's Bayan Obo mine, Mansfield also underlined the damage such production processes cause to nature: "Every excavation in mining is an intervention in nature. However, it is now imperative to minimize this damage and take sustainability as a basis. Today, the world population has reached 8.5 billion and cell phone users have exceeded 4.5 billion. Each phone, each electric motor or defense industry product is dependent on these elements. China is now playing its card by saying ‘I will not give these materials to you’. The US and European Union countries are aware of this and now include these elements in their strategy documents."
Recycling is vital in this context, Mansfield stated. She noted that tech giants such as Apple starting to recover rare elements from old iPhones is a pioneering step in this regard: "The world will now be divided: The future will either be elemental or intelligent. But the most important thing is to see the invisible systems behind these elements. We must take our place in this race. We can win this war with sustainable mining without ignoring recycling."
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