On March 27, at the “Forum on Innovative Development of Cross-Border Data Flows” of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, CAAM and the Beijing Representative Office of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Cross-Border Automotive Data Flows and Advancing High-Quality Industry Development. Upholding the principles of complementary advantages, resource sharing, mutually reinforcing development, and win-win cooperation, the two sides will strengthen policy exchanges in the field of cross-border automotive data flows, promote innovative applications of digital technologies to empower cross-border automotive data flows, facilitate positive interaction between regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders, and provide automakers with more opportunities for cooperation and development.

At the "Forum on Innovative Development of Cross-Border Data Flows" of the 2026 Zhongguancun Forum Annual Conference, CAAM and the Beijing Representative Office of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association signed the Memorandum of Understanding on Promoting Cross-Border Automotive Data Flows and Advancing High-Quality Industry Development

SMM News, March 27: Lead prices operated at low levels this week, and secondary lead smelters generally lowered their purchase prices for scrap batteries. Today’s average purchase prices were: waste e-bike battery at 9,775 yuan/mt, waste automotive lead-acid battery (white shell) at 9,875 yuan/mt, and waste automotive starter lead-acid battery (black shell) at 10,075 yuan/mt. Quotes in the recycling market diverged, with some traders raising prices to 9,450 yuan/mt to attract cargoes, squeezing profits, while others lowered prices to 9,250 yuan/mt, with recycling volume constrained. Affected by sluggish downstream consumption, relatively low retirements, weaker prices, and end-users holding back cargoes, recycling volume this week was half the normal level. After the Qingming Festival, the pace of smelter resumptions is expected to gradually accelerate, and demand for raw material procurement is likely to be released. In addition, with raw material inventories at some smelters still at low levels, this is expected to provide some support for scrap battery prices. Going forward, continued attention should be paid to lead price trends and developments in smelter production and maintenance. » Subscribe to View Historical SMM Metal Spot Prices

This week, the weekly operating rate of leading downstream aluminum processing enterprises in China rebounded 1.1 percentage points MoM to 64%.

[Dual Momentum in the Magnesium Industry: Coordinated Empowerment of New Development Through Salt Lake Resource Security and Breakthroughs in End-Use Applications] As one of the lightest known structural metallic materials, magnesium combines outstanding properties such as light weight, high strength, and high thermal conductivity, making it a core strategic material supporting industrial upgrading in sectors such as automotive lightweighting and new energy materials. China’s magnesium industry is advancing on two fronts, simultaneously promoting breakthroughs in end-use application technologies and securing raw material supply, overcoming bottlenecks in industrial development and supporting the high-quality development of the magnesium industry.

According to EUROMETAL reports, the European automotive components sector faces mounting pressure from Chinese competition, rising imports, and stagnant growth. At the EUROMETAL Steel Day, Autoliv's Cosmin Bakai noted global light vehicle production will grow ~1.3% by 2030, but Europe remains weak. While Chinese automakers plan facilities in Europe, initial capacities (50,000-100,000 units) won't immediately drive major local steel demand. Crucially, component trade is outpacing vehicle trade; Chinese component imports to the EU doubled over three years to $8 billion. Meanwhile, $11 billion in EU component exports to the US face tariff pressures. Consequently, the short-to-medium-term outlook for European automotive steel demand remains bleak.