The global landscape is undergoing profound differentiation, with industrial chains restructuring into a ‘tripolar pattern’.

Trade barriers and capacity shifts are reshaping the global industrial map. On one hand, countries like Brazil and South Korea continue to impose anti-dumping duties, subjecting mainland Chinese enterprises to high tariffs of US$903.48 per tonne. This forces export strategies to shift from ‘product exportation’ towards ‘localised production capacity’. On the other hand, emerging production capacities are accelerating their rise. Indonesia's Chanshan Industrial Park will reach a production capacity of 6 million tonnes by 2025, accounting for 12% of global output and establishing itself as a major global stainless steel production base. Over the next five years, a tripolar structure will emerge globally: China dominating high-end production, Southeast Asia handling mid-to-low-end segments, and Europe maintaining technological barriers. China's output share will stabilise above 50%, focusing on green steel and specialised steels. Southeast Asia will leverage resource advantages to expand common steel capacity. Europe will defend its high-end market share through carbon tariffs and technical standards, though capacity utilisation may decline below 70%.

The global stainless steel industry stands at a crossroads of transformation, where low-carbon technologies determine market access, high-end innovation dictates growth potential, and supply chain positioning defines resilience. As Chinese enterprises achieve continuous breakthroughs in green steel and advanced materials while establishing localised operations in Southeast Asia and Latin America, global industrial influence will further shift towards the Asia-Pacific region. This traditional sector will thus gain renewed vitality through the green revolution.