2 Feb 2011 16:32

Rusal aims to sell 20% of aluminum to China this year

MOSCOW. Feb 2 (Interfax) - UC Rusal expects to sell up to 20% of its output to China this year, the Russian aluminum giant's first deputy CEO, Vladislav Soloviev, told reporters on the sidelines of the Troika Dialog economic forum.

"We want 20%," Soloviev said, adding that Rusal sold up to 10% of its output to China in 2010.

He said the main problem with the Chinese market is that it is fairly complex and slow. Most of the sales are via the trading company Norinco.

Soloviev said he was upbeat about the Chinese market, which he said could face a shortage of 3 million-4 million tonnes of aluminum by 2015.

He also said the company had not yet registered its trademark on the Shanghai Metals Exchange, but hoped to complete the process in March.