The shortage of mineral resources is highly dependent on external sources, and the phenomenon of resource waste and loss still exists. How to enhance domestic resource production guarantee capacity——
Guarantee the supply of primary products to "consolidate the foundation and cultivate the vitality" of the economic body
【Economy Interface】
During the New Year's Day in 2022, the oil and gas workers in the Qaidam Basin in Qinghai will still stick to their posts, checking pipelines and preventing freezing and blocking of gas wells to ensure smooth and orderly natural gas production.
On January 2, Chen Wei, a citizen of Beijing, had an appointment with a friend, took the dishes they ordered on a "CD", and took away the remaining sesame cakes.
He said: "Save food, start with me."
Primary products such as energy and food are vital to economic and social development.
The Central Economic Work Conference held a few days ago emphasized the need to correctly understand and grasp the supply of primary products.
What is the current supply situation of my country's primary products?
How to ensure the supply of primary products in the future?
This reporter interviewed relevant experts.
Part of the shortage of primary products "big heads out"
"Primary products generally refer to agricultural, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery products that are directly obtained from nature and need to be processed or have been initially processed, as well as raw materials such as ore, such as soybeans, corn, oil and gas, coal, iron ore, and copper ore." Guo Liyan, director and researcher of the Comprehensive Situation Research Office of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomics, said that in accordance with the United Nations "International Trade Standards" classification, primary products cover food and live animals, beverages and tobacco, non-edible raw materials, fossil fuels, animal and vegetable oils, etc. .
Guo Liyan introduced that from the perspective of supply, the global distribution of primary products is uneven, and the supply-demand relationship has obvious structural characteristics. The supply countries are mainly developing countries and some developed countries. Part of the supply of energy and ore is relatively concentrated in certain regions and regions. Few countries.
From the perspective of demand, my country still needs a considerable amount and scale of primary products. The consumption of some energy ore products accounts for a large proportion of international trade. Some primary products have problems with high external extraction rates and relatively single overseas supply sources. There are certain pressures and risks in terms of safe and stable supply.
"The supply of scarce primary products such as iron ore and copper concentrates is seriously insufficient, and the situation is not optimistic." Li Xinchuang, secretary of the Party Committee of the Metallurgical Industry Planning and Research Institute and vice chairman of the China Iron and Steel Association, told reporters that the reserves of some mineral resources in my country are weak. , The construction of the mining market system is lagging behind, and the production and supply of some mineral products cannot keep up with the growth rate of consumption, especially the “big heads out” situation of scarce primary products such as iron ore and copper concentrates has not changed.
Li Xinchuang said that my country's shortage of minerals imports a large amount, is highly dependent on foreign sources, and has relatively concentrated sources.
At present, the foreign dependence of iron ore, copper ore, manganese ore, and nickel ore all exceeds 80%, chromium ore is close to 100%, and the foreign dependence of bauxite ore exceeds 50%.
In addition, iron ore imports are concentrated in the four major mining companies in Australia and Brazil, accounting for more than 80% of my country's total imports for many years; manganese ore imports are concentrated in South Africa and Australia, and the two countries’ imports accounted for more than 60%; Imports of chrome ore are concentrated in South Africa, accounting for more than 80%.
"my country's mining companies have entered the international market late, and the pricing mechanism of mineral products transactions is mostly in the follow-up stage, and pricing power is weak. In particular, some minerals are affected by upstream monopoly, and the price of mineral products fluctuates sharply, which seriously affects the safe and stable operation of my country's industrial supply chain. ." Li Xinchuang said.
Make good use of "two resources, two markets"
“We must closely guard against the emergence of obvious gaps in some primary products such as energy, minerals, and food, which may evolve into a'gray rhino' event, which may adversely affect economic and social operations.” Guo Liyan said, with the greatest certainty of enhancing our own production security capabilities Effectively hedge against the uncertainty of the external environment, firmly hold the "rice bowl" in their own hands, and focus on strengthening the safe and stable supply of food, energy, and important raw materials.
In Guo Liyan's view, to strengthen domestic primary product production and supply guarantee capabilities, we must strengthen the ability to prevent abnormal market fluctuation risks from the entire chain of production, supply, storage, sales, and processing, and firmly ensure the bottom line of the safe supply of basic energy and key livelihood commodities. .
It is necessary to accelerate the development and application of advanced mining technologies for resources such as oil and gas and ore, develop green, smart and sustainable smart mines, enhance the storage and adjustment capabilities of key categories of materials, optimize production capacity coordination and regional layout, and form an orderly connection with physical reserves. The supporting force of the ladder support.
"It is necessary to put the improvement of comprehensive agricultural production capacity in a more prominent position, continue to promote the construction of high-standard farmland, and comprehensively improve the scale of agricultural production and the ability to resist risks." Guo Liyan said, especially for the existence of the food production supply chain. “The risk of getting stuck in the neck”, in-depth implementation of the seed industry revitalization action, improve the level of modern agricultural machinery equipment, enhance the independent controllability of important agricultural production materials, and do everything possible to ensure the reasonable income of grain farmers.
Of course, to ensure the supply of primary products, we must make full use of the “two resources and two markets” at home and abroad.
Li Xinchuang believes that it is necessary to establish a strategic guarantee system for my country's overseas primary product resources as soon as possible.
Unified planning, overall deployment, speeding up integration, establishing a joint mechanism, and issuing relevant policies to encourage and support domestic enterprises to carry out foreign resource exploration and development, and promote the construction of overseas resource bases.
"According to the reality of my country's scarce primary products, we should'categorize policies, one mine and one policy', and study and introduce a series of related measures that can strengthen control and voice." Li Xinchuang said, my country is the largest consumer of major minerals. , It is necessary and capable to promote the improvement of the existing mineral pricing model, establish an open and transparent scientific and reasonable pricing mechanism, and ensure the reasonable supply of my country’s key minerals.
Li Xinchuang said that it is necessary to strengthen the recycling and application of alternative products for scarce minerals, reduce the demand for related products from the source, and reduce supply risks; accelerate the development and revision of targeted and differentiated support policies and their implementation.
Establish and improve the strategic reserve system of my country's resource-based primary products as soon as possible.
Develop supply response plans according to different types and situations to ensure the security of the country's primary product supply.
Prioritize conservation and implement a comprehensive conservation strategy
The Central Economic Work Conference held a few days ago emphasized the need to prioritize conservation and implement a comprehensive conservation strategy.
For the supply of primary products, Guo Liyan believes that the “comprehensiveness” of the comprehensive conservation strategy is reflected in the implementation of conservation throughout the entire chain and the entire process, promoting the accelerated release of high-quality compliant production capacity, and curbing unreasonable raw material demand and industrial waste, especially Open up the blocking and stuck points of resource recycling, accelerate the construction of a waste recycling system, and better strengthen the two-way adjustment of supply and demand.
"On the other hand, it is reflected in the comprehensive strengthening of the awareness and energy-saving actions of various entities." Guo Liyan said that in the field of production, it is necessary to enhance the awareness of energy and mining enterprises to actively save, intensive, and recycle resources, and take multiple measures to reduce grain harvest. loss.
In the field of consumption, it is necessary to enhance the nation's awareness of conservation and advocate a simple and moderate, green and low-carbon lifestyle, especially to save food, practice diligence and frugality, and oppose food waste.
Taking the steel industry as an example, Li Xinchuang suggested that in the field of production, it is necessary to focus on product manufacturing, energy conversion, and social waste disposal, vigorously promote energy-saving and low-carbon technology, make full use of waste heat and pressure and other iron and steel by-product resources, and strengthen solids. Reuse waste resources, vigorously develop circular economy, develop and produce high-strength, high-toughness, corrosion-resistant and wear-resistant, energy-saving and environmentally friendly products that are green and low-carbon throughout the life cycle.
Li Xinchuang said that in the field of consumption, it is necessary to actively guide the green consumption of steel.
Promote the coupled development of the steel industry, building materials, power, chemical and other industries and cities, strengthen the ecological design of product sources, build green and low-carbon product labels, guide the consumption of green and low-carbon products, and encourage downstream users to gradually increase the consumption ratio of green and low-carbon products , Realize the reduction of steel consumption in downstream industries, and implement the overall conservation strategy of the steel industry.
(Reporter Liu Kun)