(CFP)

Zhang Xiaogang, President of Anshan Iron and Steel Group Corp. (Ansteel), was elected chairman of the World Steel Association (Worldsteel) for a one-year term, at the association's 45th Annual Conference held in Paris on October 12, the first Chinese to take the helm of the global industry association.

One of the largest and most dynamic industry associations in the world, the Brussels-based Worldsteel represents approximately 170 steel producers, which account for 85 percent of the world's steel output. Founded in 1967, it has become a communication platform for the global steel industry.

Zhang, 57, has served as general manager of Ansteel since January 2007. After serving as president of China Steel Industry Association from 2007 to 2009, Zhang was elected vice president of Worldsteel in 2010, the first from the Chinese mainland. Zhang's election as Worldsteel's president is seen as an indication of China's increasing influence on the international stage. It will promote the Chinese steel industry's exchanges with its foreign counterparts.