The Australian Financial Review reported that Chinese steel makers has confirmed boycotting some Australian iron ore imports and has also warned that Australia is jeopardizing billions of dollars in iron ore sales by pushing for large contract price rises,

Mr Chen Xianwen deputy director general of the China Iron and Steel Association told the newspaper in an interview in Beijing that “Australia could face revenge for the aggressive pursuit of higher prices by iron ore miners BHP Billiton Ltd and Rio Tinto Ltd.”

Mr Chen said that Chinese steel mills that are boycotting Australian iron ore in the spot market were angry at moves by Rio Tinto to divert some of its contracted sales into the more lucrative spot market. He said that "Buyers and sellers should not be hostile - they should be interdependent.”