China has surpassed the United States to become the world's top importer of rolled steel, the Economic Information Daily reported on Friday.

China imported 24.49 million tons of rolled steel last year, up42.23 percent from that of 2001, and the volume is second only to the country's record import of 30.26 million tons in 1993, according to the newspaper, which cited an annual statistical report released by the China Iron and Steel Industry Association on Thursday.

Of last year's total import volume, iron ore accounted for up to 111.5 million tons, up 20.79 percent from the 2001 level, but imported steel bars accounted for 4.6 million tons, and discarded steel, 7.85 million tons, down 43.69 percent and 19.76 percent, respectively.

Most of China's rolled steel is imported from Japan, the Republic of Korea, Russia, Kazakhstan, and Taiwan. In addition, 57.78 percent of the rolled steel was imported via general trade, while another 28.63 percent were imported via the processing trade,said the newspaper.

According to the newspaper, the country added US$13.2 billion to its foreign trade deficit last year, US$2.78 billion, or 26.7 percent, more than in 2001,

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