Global miner Rio Tinto expects that China's demand for iron ore to rise this year.

Mr Alan Smith president of Rio Tinto Iron Ore Asia said that China's demand for steel is expected to rise at a compound annual growth rate of 3% in the next decade.

Rio Tinto's iron ore sales to China were 147 million tonnes in 2012, a record total that Mr Smith expects to be beaten this year. China has imported the highest amount of iron ore in four months in April as greater steel production boosted demand.

China imported 67.15 million tonnes of iron ore in April an increase of 16.4% from the same month last year. April imports rose 4% on month. It imported 253.6 million tonnes of iron ore in the first 4 months up 3.9% on year.