Codelco sees China copper demand up 8 pct this yr

SHANGHAI Aug 5 (Reuters) - Chile's Codelco [CODEL.UL], the world's largest copper producer, said on Thursday that it expected Chinese copper demand to grow by 8 percent this year and maintain a similar pace in 2011.

Global copper demand will probably grow by 4 percent this year and stay strong next year, with prices remaining at high levels, Rodrigo Toro, corporate senior sales vice president, told reporters in Shanghai on the sidelines of a meeting.

Copper treatment fees would remain low for some time due to overcapacity in smelting and refining, Toro said, adding the company would focus mainly on its Chilean operations over the next five years. (Reporting by Rujun Shen and Jacqueline Wong; Writing by Jason Subler)