A year after the global economic crisis broke out, the international community's confidence is finally returning and the economic recovery is spreading across all major economies. But the profound impact of the crisis persists and the recovery is still tepid and highly vulnerable.

With a subdued economic recovery and substantial spare capacities, the new normal of the world steel industry, contracted international steel trade, more drastic market and price fluctuations and dwindled operating profit will very likely remain in the post-crisis era.

While most of its counterparts are struggling to narrow down production cuts, the Chinese steel industry is going to gain a decent growth in 2009 in both steel output and apparent steel consumption. But this outstanding performance is very much attributable to the paramount fixed asset investment growth which, many doubt, is sustainable.

How China and the rest of the world will keep their "bailout" packages continuing to function? How will the predicted global economic revival support steel production recovery in 2010? How will steel prices go to reflect the change of market elements and cost factors? How steel producers should reform its marketing and sales systems to accommodate the new conditions? These are among the questions that we are trying to answer at the 8th International Steel Market and Trade Conference, which will be held at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, China on March 24-26, 2010. We will invite leaders from the world's major regional steel associations, important consulting firms, selected steel producers, traders and users to join the discussion, wrapping up 2009 and looking into the market developments in 2010 and beyond.