Customs data showed China exported 2.08 million tons of steel products in August, up 270,000 tons from July, down 72.9 percent year-on-year; and exported 40,000 tons of coke, down 97.16 percent from a year earlier. The country imported 1.59 million tons of steel products in August, down 150,000 tons from the previous months and up 19.55 percent from the same period last year; 350,000 tons of billet, down 220,000 tons month-on-month; and 49.68 million tons of iron ore, up 32.83 percent from a year earlier. In the first eight months, China exported 13.24 million tons of steel products, down 68.4 percent; and 320,000 tons of coke, down 96.7 percent while importing 11.47 million tons of steel products, up 3.7 percent; and 404.90 million tons of iron ore, up 32 percent.