* China steel demand to rise 40-50 mln T in 2011
* Iron ore prices expected to stay high this year.
SHANGHAI, March 17 (Reuters) - China's iron ore imports are expected to rise 6 percent, or by 40 million tonnes, this year from 2010 to support higher steel output, an official from China's mining association said on Thursday.Crude steel output in China, the world's largest steel producer, is expected to rise above 670 million tonnes this year, said Xu Xu, chairman of the China Chamber of Commerce of Metals, Minerals and Chemicals Importers and Exporters.
China, the world's top iron ore consumer and steel producer, imported 619 million tonnes of iron ore last year, down 1.4 percent from 2009.
Xu was speaking at an industry conference, with remarks published on the organizer's website (Umetal.com).
China's crude steel demand is expected to rise 40-50 million tonnes this year from 2010, as China has committed to build 10 million units of affordable homes this year, surging 72.4 percent from last year, which will support consumption for steel products.
Xu also warned that Beijing's moves to tighten liquidity will also further restrict credit flowing to iron ore trading.
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