Hong Kong, Jan 30, 2013 - (ACN Newswire) - The Board of Metallurgical Corporation of China Ltd. published its annual results forecast for 2012. Due to major issues such as the substantial bad debt provision for accounts receivable of its MCC Huludao Nonferrous Metals Group Co., Ltd., the substantial provision for foreseeable contract losses of the undertaken Western Australia ("WA") SINO Iron Ore Project of CITIC Pacific, the provision for asset impairment on the Cape Lambert Assets and the substantial loss of polysilicon business affected by the industry, MCC is expected to record a loss in its annual operating results for the year ended 31 December 2012, with net loss attributable to the shareholders of the Company of approximately RMB7.2 billion.

Burden Unloaded

In recent years, MCC has devoted huge effort and resources to revitalize Huludao Nonferrous, a company that has been generating years of operating losses with bleak prospect. However, the development of Huludao Nonferrous is restrained due to its fundamental problems such as its obsolete techniques and equipment, surplus staff, heavy historical and social burden and huge liabilities. It is difficult for Huludao Nonferrous to reverse its position of making losses which has been deteriorating to an irretrievable situation. Earlier, in order to seek widespread support from relevant parties to tackle the problem of Huludao Nonferrous in a better way, MCC announced a transfer of its 51.06% equity interests in Huludao Nonferrous Group to MCC Group. However, it still retained a loan to Huludao Nonferrous. This time, MCC exerted itself again to make a bad debt provision of its loan to Huludao Nonferrous. As such, the huge, long-standing and difficult problem that has been bothering MCC for years was completely solved.

In the meantime, in respect of the undertaken WA Sino Iron Ore Project which concerned the market, MCC made a provision for anticipated contract losses according to relevant rules provided under the PRC Accounting Standards for Business Enterprises. The construction cost of the undertaken WA Sino Iron Ore Project was subject to various changes. However, with reference to an announcement made by MCC, currently, the project construction costs approved by the owner amounted to USD4.357 billion. The total cost actually incurred by the project construction, after being audited and confirmed by the third party, was recognized as the final contract amount. In the principle of prudence, MCC accrued for the anticipated contract losses related to the project, thus mitigated the unfavorable effects of the uncertainties of the project on MCC's future performance.

A Focus on the Principal Business

MCC which started its business in traditional metallurgical engineering and construction contracting and boasts a host of well-established enterprises in the fields of research and development, design and construction is a metallurgical engineering and construction contractor with long history and technical strength. Confronted with the adverse impact from the problem of overcapacity in the iron and steel industry, the contraction of metallurgical business and the macro-economic conditions, MCC consolidated its competitiveness in the field of metallurgical engineering and construction contracting and tapped into the non-metallurgical engineering and construction contracting markets proactively, thus delivering stable and satisfactory results in engineering and construction contracting of metallurgical construction, housing construction, urban infrastructure, highways construction and real estate development all along.

At a recent internal annual working conference held within MCC, MCC proposed its aspiration to "focus on MCC's principal business and develop a 'better MCC'". In addition, the Company vowed to pursue significant enhancement in its quality and efficiency in 2013 and to spare no efforts in promoting reformation and innovation.

Possible Turning Point for the Results of MCC

As MCC unloaded the burden of Huludao Nonferrous, its traditional principal business will achieve smooth development on the back of national strategic urbanization. Without the said burden and with its focus on principal business as a tradeoff, the Company may be able to turn around its performance and embrace the opportunities of another round of stable development.



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