Plan for the Prevention and Control of Air Pollution has resulted in pressure on steel mills in Linyi and Chengde to employ environmental protection measures on pain of being closed down. In the context of lowered demand (see also 2015–16 Chinese stock market crash), in 2016 the Chinese state announced large scale closures and redundancies in heavy and primary industries, many of which were functioning as zombie companies, with 1.8 million redundancies (15% of workforce) in the coal and steel industries planned to take place by 2020. See also China Iron and Steel Association History of the steel industry (1850–1970) History of the steel industry (1970–present) List of countries by steel production List of steel producers Steel mill References External links Industry in China Steel industry of China