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On June 8, 2021, the Dalian Propane Dehydrogenation Industry Chain and Comprehensive Utilization of By-product Hydrogen Forum was held in Dalian, during which the city announced the directions for the development of its petrochemical industry chain in 2021. According to the plan, by 2030, the total refining capacity of the petrochemical industry base on Changxing Island (Xizhong Island) is expected to reach 40 million tons for crude oil processing, 10 million tons for aromatics (PX), and 10 million tons for ethylene. The yield of refined oil products will be below 33%, while chemicals made from new materials and high-end chemicals will account for 30% of the total output. By 2035, the chemical industry in Dalian is expected to generate an output value of 800 billion yuan, achieving green, low-carbon, high-end, sustainable, and safe development, and becoming a world-class petrochemical industry hub. According to Yang Guangzhi, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of the Changxing Island Economic and Technological Development Zone, in terms of spatial layout, Dalian has currently developed three major petrochemical industry clusters: the Changxing Island (Xizhong Island) Petrochemical Industry Base, the Dagushan Chemical Industrial Zone, and the Songmudao Chemical Industrial Park. These clusters have laid the foundation for the aromatic hydrocarbon industry chain of \"refining – PX – PTA – polyester\" as well as the \"refining – ethylene – polyolefins\" industry chain. “In terms of industrial scale, the three major refineries – Dalian Petrochemical, West Pacific Petrochemical, and Hengli Petrochemical – together have a refining capacity of 50.5 million tons per year, ranking first among cities in China ； The combined PTA production capacity of Hengli Petrochemical and Yisheng Dahua reaches 17 million tons per year, making it the largest PTA industrial base in the world. Meanwhile, the combined PX production capacity of Hengli Petrochemical and Fujia Dahua stands at 5.9 million tons per year, ranking first among cities in China. In 2020, the industrial output value of the city’s petrochemical industry at enterprises above a certain scale was 276.1 billion yuan, accounting for 40.80% of the total industrial output. It ranks among the top four among cities at the sub-provincial level and above with a relatively developed petrochemical industry in the country. ”Yang Guangzhi said. Yang Guangzhi stated that in the future, the development of Dalian’s petrochemical industry will primarily rely on Hengli Petrochemical’s 20-million-ton/year integrated refining and chemical project, as well as the upcoming 20-million-ton/year integrated refining and chemical project on Xizhong Island, thereby providing abundant basic raw materials for the industry’s growth. Particular emphasis will be placed on extending downward the industrial chains for new chemical materials, aromatics, olefins, marine chemicals, and hydrogen fuel cells. In terms of the aromatic hydrocarbons industry chain, the focus is on developing polyester and industrial fibers, thereby driving the growth of the textile fabric industry ； In terms of the olefin industry chain, industrial advantages will be established in the three major synthetic materials of synthetic resins, synthetic rubbers, and synthetic fibers, thereby driving the development of downstream application industries ； In the field of specialty fine chemicals, emphasis will be placed on the development of emerging fine chemical products such as environmentally friendly and efficient catalysts, high-purity gases, boron materials for nuclear use, high-performance membrane materials, pharmaceutical intermediates, electronic chemicals, green environmental protection materials, and eco-friendly dyes. By 2025, the city’s chemical industry output is expected to reach 500 billion yuan, with the goal of making the petrochemical sector one of the top three in terms of economic significance within the country ； By 2035, the city’s chemical industry output is expected to reach 800 billion yuan, achieving green, low-carbon, high-end, sustainable, and safe development, thereby becoming a world-class petrochemical industry hub. It is reported that the Changxing Island (Xizhong Island) Petrochemical Industry Base, as one of the **seven major petrochemical industry bases and the only **-level petrochemical base in the Northeast, serves as the main platform for the development of the petrochemical industry in Dalian. By 2030, the total refining capacity of the base facilities will reach 40 million tons, with the capacity for aromatics (PX) at 10 million tons and that for ethylene at 10 million tons. The yield of refined oil products will be below 33%, while chemicals made from new materials and high-end chemicals will account for 30% of the total output. Yang Guangzhi said that in terms of industrial layout, Changxing Island and Xizhong Island each have their own focuses. The Changxing Island area focuses on the development of aromatics, with olefins playing a secondary role. In terms of the future direction of its industrial chain, efforts will be centered on the ethylene production project at Hengli Refining & Chemical Co., as well as on the provincial-level innovation platform for fine chemicals and catalyst technologies, developed in collaboration with the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Dalian University of Technology. These initiatives aim to expand and strengthen the production capabilities related to aromatics and olefins. First, by leveraging existing aromatic raw materials, accelerate the implementation of projects such as 2.4 million tons per year of polyester, biodegradable plastics, and textile parks, in order to develop polyester filaments for civilian and industrial use, polyester films, and engineering plastics along the value chain ； Second, we will support Hengli in expanding and upgrading its olefin facilities for ethylene glycol and other products. Leveraging the ethylene oxide produced as a by-product, as well as existing olefin raw materials such as butadiene, styrene, polyethylene, polypropylene, and carbon dioxide, we will attract investment to develop fine chemicals, synthetic rubber, and engineering plastics. Currently, the signed and reserved projects in key industrial chains amount to approximately 25.2 billion yuan. The Nishinakajima area is the core zone of the base, with 70 square kilometers of land designated for development, focusing on the production of olefins with aromatics as a secondary focus. First, build an olefin industry cluster. Leveraging the raw materials for a 20-million-ton refining and 2.4-million-ton ethylene project that CNPC Dalian Petrochemical plans to start building by the end of this year or early next year, it will further develop the downstream industrial chains for olefins such as ethylene, propylene, butylene, C5 compounds, and C9 compounds. For mutual benefit and shared growth, CNPC is willing to explore joint venture opportunities with advanced technology companies at home and abroad. By leveraging the 3 million tons of olefin raw materials and 3 million tons of aromatic raw materials that can be generated by these projects, it aims to establish industrial chain partnerships with leading enterprises in the downstream sector. Second, build a diversified light feedstock olefin industry cluster. Leveraging the advantages of Nishinakajima Port, and in partnership with central state-owned enterprises that have strengths in raw material supply and maritime transportation, various light hydrocarbon raw materials such as propane and butane are imported from foreign markets. Investments are attracted to develop projects such as propane dehydrogenation and light hydrocarbon cracking in order to increase the supply of olefins. At the same time, in line with the policy requirements for achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality, and by leveraging the carbon capture technologies developed by Dalian University of Technology as well as the hydrogen energy utilization technologies from the Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, cooperation with domestic and international specialized companies is pursued to accelerate research into the possibility of establishing China’s first demonstration project for capturing, storing, and comprehensively utilizing millions of tons of carbon dioxide. Efforts are also being made to develop a green chemical industry chain based on carbon neutrality.