China's steel industry has made significant advances in high-end precision materials in 2026, with breakthroughs in specialty steels supporting sectors such as electronics, new energy and advanced manufacturing.

One of the latest achievements is an ultra-thin low-carbon steel foil, known as "5G steel", developed by Shougang Group in collaboration with the University of Science and Technology Beijing. Following research launched in 2013, the domestically developed material has reached a thickness of just 0.07 millimetres, surpassing the 0.10-millimetre standard typically required for 5G applications. It is now in mass production for use in 5G base station components, integrated circuit boards and new energy battery connectors.

China has also advanced silicon steel technology, with its 0.1-millimetre-grade non-oriented electrical steel achieving world-leading iron loss performance. The material is widely used in drive motors for new energy vehicles and humanoid robots, reflecting the industry's continued shift towards higher-value manufacturing.