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中国のＳＭおよび誘導品需要　千トン　

 「人民網日本語版」2007年7月9日

広州、一人っ子夫婦が子供2人を持つことを奨励

  広州市政府常務会議はこのほど、「広州市人口、就業、社会保障の『第11次五カ年』計画」を大筋で同意、通達した。広州では一人っ子同士の夫婦が法律に基づいて2人の子供を持つことを奨励する。

  ここ数年、広州では人口の高齢化傾向が強まりつつある。2005年末時点で、広州市戸籍人口のうち16歳以下は18.9％、60歳以上は12.8％を占め、高齢化が進行している。

  広州市人口・計画生育局の担当者によると、現在の政策では夫婦がともに一人っ子の場合、2人の子供を持つことができる。人口の高齢化問題に対応するため、同市はこの政策を制定し、夫婦双方が一人っ子の場合に2人の子供を持つことを奨励している。具体的な措置は現在策定中という。

July 9, 2007 TECHNIP

Technip awarded a basic engineering design and support contract for a polyethylene plant in China

Technip, in association with INEOS as the licensor, has been awarded a contract by Liaoning Huajin Chemicals for a high density polyethylene plant to be built in Panjin (China).

The contract covers the basic engineering design for the plant and the pre-commissioning support.

The plant, based on INEOS' Innovene S technology, will produce 300,000 tons/year of high density polyethylene intended for the manufacture of resistant plastics.

The plant is scheduled for completion at the end of 2008 for a commissioning in March 2009.

China Chemical Reporter 2007/7/10

Jiangsu Anpon Kicks off Ionic Membrane Caustic Soda Project

On July 8th, 2007 Jiangsu Anpon Electrochemical Co., Ltd. (Jiangsu Anpon) started construction on its 200 000 t/a ion membrane caustic soda and chlorine products project in Huaian, Jiangsu province. ChemChina Agrochemical Corporation Signed a business recombining agreement with Jiangsu Anpon at the end of 2005. With a total investment of RMB1.05 billion made by ChemChina, the ion membrane caustic soda and chlorine products project will help Jiangsu Anpon increase its sales revenue by RMB960 million per year after its completion.

China Chemical Reporter 2007/7/11

BASF to Increase Capacity for Neopentylglycol

BASF JCIC Neopentylglycol Co. (BJNC) a 60/40 joint venture company of BASF and Jilin Chemical Industrial Co., Ltd in Jilin, will expand its neopentylglycol (NPG) capacity by 10 000 tons.
The capacity increase is due to a growing demand for the versatile chemical intermediate, mainly in coatings applications.
BJNC was formed 1995 in Jilin, Northeast China and came on stream in May 1998.

「人民網日本語版」2007年7月12日

ジエチレングリコールの練り歯磨きへの使用を禁止

「新華網」によると、国家質量監督検験検疫総局（品質検査部門）は11日、「練り歯磨き原料としてのジエチレングリコールの使用を禁止することに関する公告」を発表した。以下はその全文。

米国、日本、カナダなどの国で最近、ジエチレングリコールを含有した練り歯磨きの販売が続々禁止されている。ジエチレングリコールの練り歯磨きへの使用および含有量について国際的な基準がないこと、および中国の大部分の練り歯磨き生産企業がジエチレングリコールを原料として使用していないことに鑑み、消費者の合理的な練り歯磨き使用のため、また輸出企業の不要な損失を避けるため、国家質量監督検験検疫総局は以下のように公告する。

（１）本日より、ジエチレングリコールを含有する練り歯磨きの輸出と輸入を禁止する。他の原料を使ったことでジエチレングリコールが入った輸出練り歯磨きについては、その含有量は輸入国・輸入地域の要求に合致しなければならない。

（２）本日より、練り歯磨き生産企業はジエチレングリコールを原料として使用してはならない。

（３）衛生部門が組織した専門家は練り歯磨き中のジエチレングリコールの危険性について以下の評価を示した。ジエチレングリコール含有量が15.6％以下の練り歯磨きを長期間使用しても、人体の健康には悪影響はない。これまでにジエチレングリコールが直接人体に中毒を引き起こした例を示す資料はない。最近の国のサンプル調査では、大多数の練り歯磨きからはジエチレングリコールは検出されず、少数の検出された製品でも、含有量は10％以下だった。消費者の方々は、ジエチレングリコールを含有する練り歯磨きを使用したことがあったとしても、それによる健康への影響は心配しないでいただきたい。

China Chemical Reporter 2007-7-17

Jinma & Kumho Launches Latex Project in Shandong

Recently, Shandong Jinma Chemical Group and Kumho Tires Group of Korea started construction on Kumho Jinma (Rizhao) Co., Ltd. in Donggang District, Rizhao, Shandong province日照市・山東省.

Kumho Jinma (Rizhao) Co., Ltd. will launch a 150 000 t/a latex project with a registered capital of US$13.4 million, in which the two parts both hold 50% share.
With a total investment of US$40 million, Kumho Jinma (Rizhao) Co., Ltd. will invest first-phase US$33.5 million to mainly produce styrene-butadiene lattices and its downstream products used in papermaking, rubber, construction sectors, etc.
After completion, the first phase will help the Kumho Jinma (Rizhao) Co., Ltd. increase its sales revenue by RMB1 billion.

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Jun 24, 2009

Korea Kumho Petrochemical completes plant construction in China

South Korean chemical producer Korea Kumho Petrochemical Co. said Wednesday it has completed the construction of a US$40 million plant in Shandong Province, China.
The plant will produce 150,000 tons a year of SB-Latex for paper coating, the company said in a statement.
Kumho established a 50:50 joint venture named Rizhao Kumho Jinma Chemical Co. with China's Rizhao Jinam Group in 2007 to produce SB-Latex.
Kumho predicted that the joint venture's annual sales will be $130 million.

Kumho Petrochemical Shenyang Co., a joint venture between Kumho and China's Shenyang Chemical Industry Construction Investment Co., will also break ground on Thursday for a plant, in Shenyang, an industrial city in China's northeastern region.
The plant will annually produce 12,800 tons of commercial building materials such as extruded polystyrene foam starting May 2010,.

AFX News Limited 2007/7/19

Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical to boost paraxylene capacity

Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Co, a unit of China Petroleum & Chemical Corp (Sinopec), plans to boost its annual paraxylene capacity to 1.2 mln tons in 2010 from 800,000 tons currently, Sinopec Group said in a statement.


Urumqi PetroChemical expects its paraxylene capacity to increase to 1 mln tons from the current 80,000 tons after the expansion is completed by the end of 2008.

Platts 2007/7/20

China's Sunshine eyes new 2 mil mt/year Shaoxing PTA unit by 2010

China's Zhejiang Hualian Sunshine Petrochemical is looking to raise its purified terephthalic acid capacity to 4 million mt/year by constructing a new two million mt/year PTA plant at its Shaoxing complex by the end of 2010, a company source said Friday morning.

Sunshine currently operates three PTA plant in Shaoxing, Zhejiang province. The company's No 1 PTA plant can produce 700,000 mt/year of PTA, while its No 2 and No 3 PTA plants each have a nameplate capacity of 650,000 mt/year.

2007/7/24 Asia Chemical Weekly

Bluestar plans to build POM base in Shanghai

China Bluestar, a subsidiary of ChemChina, plans to build a POM production base in Xinhuo (星火) Development Zone, Pudong, Shanghai.

China Bluestar had announced that it will build total POM capacity of 200,000 ton/year by three stages, which to be operated by its subsidiary ? Shanghai Bluestar New Material Co. (Shanghai Bluestar).

The first-stage is underway. Shanghai Bluestar is building a 120,000 ton/year formaldehyde and 40,000 ton/year POM facilities, which is expected to start up by the end of 2007.

In May, 2007, Shanghai Bluestar launched its second-stage project, which with capacity of 60,000 ton/year and is waiting for the approval from government.

2008-4-17 CCR Shanghai Bluestar Starts up POM Project On March 29th, 2008 the 40 000 t/a polyoxymethylene (POM) project of Shanghai Bluestar Chemical New Material Plant (Shanghai Bluestar) was completed and went on stream in Pudong New Area, Shanghai. The project is the company's first-phase POM project, and the second-phase 60 000 t/a POM project with a total investment of more than RMB1.2 billion was launched in 2007. 2008/4/22 Asia Chemical Weekly Bluestar will build the POM base by three stages. With capacity of 60,000 ton/year, the second stage project is under construction and is expected to start up in Q3 of 2009. Also, Bluestar has considered the third-stage POM project with capacity of 100,000 ton/year, and make the total POM capacity to reach 200,000 ton/year in the same site after 2010. Shanghai Bluestar to marketing its POM products to Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta areas, where are the most important POM consuming market in China . 中国の他のPOMメーカーの状況は以下の通り。 （1）宝泰菱工程塑料（南通）有限公司　 　　　PTM Engineering Plastics（Nantong） 　　　立地：江蘇省南通市 　　　出資：ポリプラスチックス（70.1%）、三菱ガス化学、韓国Engineering Plastics、Ticona 　　　　　　　　注：韓国エンジニアリングプラスチックスはセラニーズ/三菱ガス化学/三菱商事のJV　　 　　　能力：60千トン　2005年10月商業生産開始 　　　 （2）杜邦-旭化成ポリアセタール（張家港）有限公司　 　　　Asahi-DuPont POM (Zhangjiagang) 　　　立地：江蘇省張家港市 　　　出資：旭化成ケミカルズ 50%/DuPont 50% 　　　能力：第1期 20千トン　将来 60千トンまで拡大 （3）云天化集団　Yuntianhua Group 　　2005年に雲南省昭通市に12千トン能力でスタート、2006年に20千トン設備を追加し、現在能力は32千トン。 　　同社は2007年4月に重慶市の重慶化学工業団地に新しい20千トン設備の建設を開始している。 （４）Shenhua Ningmei 　　同社は寧夏回族自治区で大規模な石炭事業を行っている。 　　地方政府から年産 60千トンのPOM計画の承認を受けており、2008年に建設開始、2010年スタートの予定。 　　大規模なMTP（Methanol to Propylene）を建設中で、メタノール167万トン、プロピレン52万トン、 　　PP 50万トンプラントを2009年初めにスタートする。POM原料のメタノールはここから供給する。 　　同社はまた、年産83万トンのDME計画を持ち、2009年にスタートの予定。

Bluestar will also consider conducting the third-stage POM project with capacity of 100,000 ton/year according to the future market condition, and make the total POM capacity to reach 200,000 ton/year in the same site.

Shanghai Bluestar will market its POM products to Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta areas, where are the most important POM consuming market in China.

China imported 172 kt and exported 21.3 kt POM in 2005; imported 172 kt and exported 32.5 kt POM in 2006. The decrease of net import from 2005 to 2006 is mainly due to that PTM started up its 60,000 ton/year POM plant in Nantong, Jiangsu Province by the end of 2005.

With the startup of Shanghai Bluestar, China’s POM net imports will be further reduced.

China's POM production and consumption in 2005-2006 (kt)

中国では日系の2社を含め3社がPOMを製造している。今後はネット輸入量は減少する見込み。

１）宝泰菱工程塑料（南通）有限公司　
　　PTM Engineering Plastics（Nantong）
　　　立地：江蘇省南通市
　　　出資：ポリプラスチックス（70.1%）、三菱ガス化学、韓国Engineering Plastics、Ticona
　　　　　　　　注：韓国エンジニアリングプラスチックスはセラニーズ/三菱ガス化学/三菱商事のJV　　
　　　能力：60千トン　2005年10月商業生産開始
　　　

２）杜邦-旭化成ポリアセタール（張家港）有限公司　
　 Asahi-DuPont POM (Zhangjiagang)
　　　立地：江蘇省張家港市
　　　出資：旭化成ケミカルズ 50%/DuPont 50%
    　能力：第1期 20千トン　将来 60千トンまで拡大

３）云天化集団　Yuntianhua Group
　　2005年に雲南省昭通市 Zhaotong, Yunnan に12千トン能力でスタート、2006年に20千トン設備を追加。
　　2007年4月に重慶市の重慶化学工業団地に新しい20千トン設備の建設を開始。

The whole project is made up of three POM production units, each of which has a capacity of 20 000 t/a. The first-phase unit and the other two are expected to be completed in July 2008 and 2010 respectively.

Yuntianhua Group Co., Ltd is a large-scale enterprise group of taking chemical fertilizer as its main business, and organic chemical, new fiberglass materials, salt and salt chemical, and phosphorous chemical as its important development direction, and possessing 25 fully capitalized or shareholding subsidiary companies and 26 joint-stock companies, having formed 8 production bases. Now Yuntianhua has an annual production capacity of 580,000-ton ammonia, 760,000-ton urea, 130,000-ton ammonium nitrate, 2,000,000-ton high concentration phosphorous fertilizer, 20,000-ton organic chemical products, 120,000-ton new fiberglass materials, 150,000-ton yellow phosphorus, 190,000-ton sodium tripolyphosphate, 30,000-ton dicalcium phosphate dihydrate, 430,000-ton refined salt, 30,000-ton polyvinyl chloride, and 30,000-ton caustic soda.

2007-7-24 China Chemical Reporter

Lianyungang Shida Completes PE and PVC Project

Lianyungang Shida Plastic Co., Ltd., (Lianyungang Shida) located in Dapu Industry Park, Jiangsu Lianyungang Economic and Technological Development Zone, held a ceremony for startup of PE (polyethylene)and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) project on July 9th, 2007. The project has a total investment of RMB160 million and covers an area of 9.4 hectares. It produces 15 000 tons of various PE and PVC pipes, 5 000 tons of PVC profiles and plastic doors/windows and 10 000 tons of plastic cast films. Lianyungang Shida is a major plastic comprehensive processing and production enterprises in Jiangsu province.

2007/7/26 Asia Chemical Weekly                                  Cabot opens Tianjin masterbatch plant

Cabot starts carbon black expansion project in Tianjin

On Jul. 19, 2007, Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) Co. held a ceremony for its ground-breaking of carbon black expansion project in Tianjin Economic Technical Development Area (TEDA天津経済技術開発区), Tianjin.

This is Cabot's second stage carbon black project in the same site. With investment of USD 65 million, the company will build two new rubber blacks units, to increase the total capacity to 250,000 ton/year from the existing 105,000 ton/year. It is expected to start up by Q4 of 2008.

Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) has completed its first stage carbon black project in last year, which including two units with capacities of 61,000 ton/year and 44,000 ton/year respectively.

Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) is a 70:30 jv between Cabot (China) Limited, and Shanghai Coking Chemical Company (SCCC), a member of Shanghai based HuaYi Group.

Before the Tianjin projects, Cabot already had a jv carbon black plant in Shanghai with SCCC, named as Shanghai Cabot Chemical Co., which currently has nameplate capacity of 130 000 ton/year.

SCCC can provide the coal tar feedstock for the two JVs, while the carbon black products supply to the tyres producers.

Also in TEDA, a jv of Tokai Carbon and Sumitomo operates a 40,000 ton/year carbon black plant which started up in 2006.
（東海カーボンと住友商事が 80：20で出資する東海炭素(天津)有限公司）

Shanghai Huayi (Group) Company is a large-scale enterprise group established by re-organization of assets with the authority of the State Assets Administrative Committee of Shanghai Municipal People's Government. The Company commands more than 20 wholly-owned and share-holding branches including Shanghai Tianyuan (Group) Co., Ltd, Shanghai Tyre & Rubber (Group) Co., Ltd, Shanghai Coking & Chemical Corporation, Shanghai Wujing Chemical Co., Ltd. Huayi (Group) Company has 11 design or research institutes, 2 national enterprise technological centers, 8 municipal enterprise technological centers and even post doctor scientific research stations. The number of products manufactured in the company amounts to about ten thousands under more than ten categories, covering fundamental chemicals, rubber and plastic products, chemical reagent, biochemicals, chemical equipment and others. http://www.shhuayi.com/htm/introduction_english.htm

　

キャボット、天津でカーボンブラック増設

（上海発＝特約）

Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) は19日、天津経済技術開発区（TEDA）の化学工業区でカーボンブラック工場増設の鍬入れ式を行った。
65百万ドルを投じて２系列を新設するもので、来年第４四半期に完成後は既存能力105千トンが合計250千トンとなる。

同社は昨年、第一期として61千トンと44千トンの２系列をスタートさせている。
　既報　http://www.chem-t.com/cgi-bin/passFile.php?NCODE=18157

Cabot Chemical (Tianjin) はキャボットと上海のHuaYi Group の上海焦化有限会社(Shanghai Coking Chemical Co.）との70：30 JV。

両社は上海にもカーボンブラックのJVのShanghai Cabot Chemical Co.を持っている。現在の能力は130千トン。

上海焦化が両JVに原料のコールタールを供給する。製品はタイヤメーカーに販売する。

なお、天津経済技術開発区（TEDA）では東海カーボンと住友商事が 80：20で出資する東海炭素(天津)有限公司が57百万ドルをかけて年産4万トン設備を建設し、２００６年から生産を開始している。
　既報　http://www.chem-t.com/cgi-bin/passFile.php?NCODE=18345

2007/8/6　Asia Chemical Weekly

Xin'an and Momentive form silicone jv in Zhejiang

On Jul, 31, 2007, Momentive Performance Materials (MPM) and Zhejiang Xin'an Chemical Group announced that they have got the government approval to form a jv for silicone production.

Named as Zhejiang Xin'an Momentive Silicone Company, the new jv company is the 51:49 jv between Zhejiang Xin’an and Momentive (Singapore), a subsidiary of MPM.

With total investment of USD 97 million, the jv plans to build a 50,000 ton/year siloxane, or approximately 100,000 ton/year methylchlorosilanes (MCS) products facility in Jiande, Zhejiang Province, which is expected to start up in H1 of 2009.

In Apr. 2007, Xin'an signed agreements with Momentive (Singapore) and Momentive (Japan) respectively, for the proposed jv and technology licensing. According to the agreement, Xin'an will purchase technology with USD 24.99 million from Momentive (Japan) for the planned facility.

After commercial operation of the jv facility, the silicone products will be off-take by both sides equally, according to the MPM.

MPM is the former GE Silicone, now it is owned by a capitals management company - Apollo.Based in Jiande, Zhejiang Province, Xin’an Chemical is one of the leading silicone producer in China and it listed in Shanghai Stock Exchange.

GEは昨年9月14日、シリコーン事業のGE Advanced Materials をApollo Management, L.P.に38億ドルで売却すると発表した。
1971年に東芝と設立したGE Toshiba Silicones、1998年にBayerと設立したGE Bayer Silicones の2つのＪＶも、GEが両社からJV持分を買い取ってGE 100%とした上で、本体とともにApollo に売却した。
Apollo は同年12月、GE Advanced Materials を改組し、Momentive Performance Materials を設立した。
Apollo が90%を出資し、GEが10%を出資している。

東芝もGE東芝シリコーン（GE 51%/東芝 49%）と、その子会社６社（Singapore.、Asia Pacific、Nantong、Hong Kong、Shanghai、Thailand） の株式をGEに売却すると発表した。

東芝は1953年にシリコーン事業を開始し、1971年からGEグループとの合弁会社でシリコーン事業を営んできたが、現在ではシリコーン事業は同社グループの他の事業との関連性が低い状況となっており、GEの提案に同意したとしている。

2006年11月、GE東芝シリコーンはモメンティブ・パフォーマンス・マテリアルズとなった。Momentive Performance Materials と同様、Apollo が90%を出資し、GEが10%を出資している。

　　2006/9/21　GE、シリコーン事業を売却　

旧・GE東芝シリコーンは中国に４つの製造拠点をもっている。上海市にあるGE東芝シリコーン(上海)が浦東地区と松江地区に2工場をもち、シリコーンゴム、シーラント、オイルエマルジョン、レジン、特殊製品を製造しており、広東省深セン市のJV、深セン通用精細有机硅有限公司(Shenzhen GETOS　Fine　Silicones : GE東芝シコーン 51%/深セン市広化実業発展有限公司 49%) がシリコーンエラストマーを製造している。上海の浦東には研究開発センターももっている。4番目の工場は江蘇省南通市の南通経済開発区で建設中。
　　http://www.knak.jp/japan/silicone.htm#ge-toshiba-china4
　　

今回のJV相手の新安化工集団は、浙江省建�ｺ市に本拠を置く中国でも有数なシリコーン・メーカー。

Aug 10, 2007 (SinoCast via COMTEX)

China BlueChemical's PPC Project Starts Construction

China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC　中国海洋石油) recently announces its listed affiliate China BlueChemical Ltd 中海石油化学. has started building a polypropylene carbonate (PPC) project to product biodegradable plastic.
The use of PPC can reduce white pollution, as well as the consumption of oil and gas for producing plastic products. It is CNOOC's response to the government's call for energy saving and emissions reduction in greenhouse gas.
The company kicked off technology, equipment, marketing and product research and development in 2004. Adopting the global leading patent technology independently developed by Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences 中国科学院長春応用化学研究所, the PPC project is designed to have an annual production capacity of 3,000 tons of degradable plastics分解性プラスチック, with predicted total investments of CNY 152.2 million. Located in the Dongfang Chemical City in Hainan　海南島東方市, it is to be completed and put into production in June 2008.
PPC, also called poly, is a polycarbonate plastic material, a copolymer of carbon dioxide and propylene oxide. Moreover, it is environmental-friendly product with high added value, and can be widely applied in pharmaceutical, food and agricultural fields.

China BlueChemical Ltd
Fudao Plant is located in Dongfang City, Hainan Province, and operates:
Fudao Phase I: with a designed annual capacity of 520,000 tonnes of 'Fudao' branded granular urea
Fudao Phase II: with a designed annual capacity of 800,000 tonnes of 'Fudao' branded granular urea and 50,000 tonnes of 'Fudao' branded complex fertilizer
CNOOC Jiantao: with a designed annual capacity of 600,000 tonnes of methanol, expected to commence production in January 2007
Production of food-class carbon dioxide
Basuo Port transportation business
Manufacture of woven plastic bag

CNOOC Jiantao is a joint venture between China BlueChem and a subsidiary of Kingboard Chemical Holdings Limited , with interests of 60% and 40% respectively.

Tianye Plant is located in Huhhot, Inner Mongolia. In March 2006, China BlueChem acquired 90% equity interests in Tianye Chemical in Inner Mongolia and Tianye Chemical has since become the Company’s holding subsidiary. Tianye Plant has a design annual capacity of 520,000 tonnes of traditional prill urea sold under the 'Tianye' brand. In addition,Tianye plant has a methanol facility with an annual production capacity of 200,000 tones. the Company is planning to add a polyoxymethylene plant at the plant site.

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Iran Daily Sep 28, 2006

The company is one of the largest and most efficient nitrogenous fertilizer producers in terms of production volume and energy consumption, respectively, in the mainland.
The core business is production and sale of urea. It uses natural gas in the production process and this accounts for about 60 percent of total production cost.
One of the major advantages the company has is the long-term contracts with the parent for supply of natural gas, which helps to keep costs 20 percent lower than competitors, Thestandard.com reported.
Prudential Brokerage associate director Kingston Lin King-ham said CBC is a quality stock with solid earnings and the backing of its parent. Central government policies favor the agricultural sector and should benefit the company.
Last year, the company acquired a 90 percent stake in Tianye Chemical in Inner Mongolia, increasing production capacity of urea by 520,000 tons to 1.84 million tons a year. The unit started to provide profit contribution in the first quarter of the year ended March 31. Acquisitions and capacity expansion drove first half net profit up by 148 percent. Net profit for the full year, last year, was up 31 percent to 944 million yuan (HK$928 million). The company forecasts full year profit to rise by 55 percent to 1.46 billion yuan.
Hainan province-based CBC is expanding into high value-added products such as methanol, which it says will be the key sales driver. A methanol plant has been built in Hainan in partnership with Kingboard Chemical, adding an annual capacity of 600,000 tons.
“The joint-venture with Kingboard to produce methanol will provide earnings momentum, while strategic investors can have a stabilization effect on the stock price,“ said Kenny Tang Sing-hing, associate director of Tung Tai Securities.

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2006/5/23　朝日新聞夕刊

C02からプラスチック　40年前日本で発見、中国で工業化進む
　国内でも研究が再開

　二酸化炭素から直接プラスチックなどの高分子をつくる技術が中国で工業化された。実は、約40年前、日本で発見された方法だ。コストの問題で実用化されなかったが、温暖化対策などで見直され、日本でも応用研究が再開した。

　この反応は68年、東京大工学部助教授だった井上祥平さん(現東京理科大教授)と大学院生だった鯉沼秀臣さん(現東京大新領域創成科学研究科客員教授)が見つけた。

　鰹沼さんたちは2年前、中国の内モンゴル自治区に年間生産量１千規模の試験工場がつくられたことを知った。中国の研究者が触媒の効率を約10倍に改良し、03年から生産を始めているという。隣接のセメント工場から出る二酸化炭素を原料にしている。
　まだ製造コストは高いが、土中などで微生物に分解される「生分解性」などの特徴を生かして食器などに利用しているらしい。さらに、海南島に年間１万トン規模の工場も建設中という。

中国の工場で二酸化炭素から直つくられたプラスチック原料の袋には大きく「生物降解」（生分解性）と表示されている。

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蒙西高分子材料有限公司　全降解塑料分公司
Inner Mongolia Meｌic Sea (Mengxi) High-Tech Group

Novel Plastics from Carbon dioxide CopolymerComes to True
http://www.mengxigroup.com/html/mxcp/shownews.asp?newsid=187

    Novel plastics based on carbon dioxide copolymer(BioCO2(TM)) have been developed in Mengxi Group, Northwestern China. They are planned to appear in the market in Dec., 2002.
　　Licensed under Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences (US Patent 2002/0082363A1  and Chinese Patents 98125655.4，98125654.6，00136189.9)， Mengxi Group set up a 3000  tons/a production line employing rare earth ternary coordinate as catalyst and carbon dioxide recycled from cement production, in Erdos City, northwestern China. As the first production line in China, it is planned to produce biodegradable carbon dioxide copolymer based plastics in tons scale. This pilot line is also the result of "863" project from Ministry of Science and Technology(2001AA322090), Key projector of Knowledge Innovation Engineer of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KJCX2−206A). It is also funded by special fund of the Governor of Jilin province and key project in Department of Science and Technology, Jilin Province. The fundamental study is supported by Natural Science Foundation of China(50003009).

The following products are coming to the market：

Carbon dioxide copolymer based plastics

	BioCO2TM 100	BioCO2TM 200	BioCO2TM 300
Appearance	pale yellow or colorless  transparent pellets	pale yellow or colorless  transparent pellets	pale yellow or colorless  transparent particle
Density	1.24g/cm3	1.22-1.32g/cm3	1.22-1.52g/cm3
Package	50kg/ bag	50kg/ bag	50kg/ bag
Component	carbon dioxide-propylene oxide  copolymer	carbon dioxide-propylene oxide- ethylene oxide terpolymer	carbon dioxide-propylene oxide- cyclohexene oxide terpolymer
Carbon dioxide unit content	40−42wt%	42−50wt%	31-42wt%
Number average molecular weight	60,000−150,000	50,000−150,000	30,000-150,000
Polydispersity	5−15	4.0-13.0	3.0−13.0
Melt flow index(MFI) （150℃，2.16Kg, 0.1MPa）	16-18g/10min	16-26g/10min	3.2-18g/10min
Glass transition temperature	35−39℃	5.2-38℃	35-125℃
5％ weight loss temperature	230-270℃	180−250℃	180-290℃
Processing temperature	150−160℃
Biodegradability	biodegradable in 5-60 days  upon forced condition	biodegradable in 5-60 days upon forced condition	biodegradablein 5-60 days　 upon forced condition

Background Description
    Increasing concern on CO2 utilization: The evolution of carbon dioxide from fossil  burning, oil refinery, cement production, and fermentation process is over 2.4x1010 tons/a, 1.5x1010 tons is consumed by the plants, leaving a net increase of 9x1010  tons every year, which causes 1ppm increase of carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere(it is reported that the carbon dioxide concentration in 1999 reaches 345ppm)，and therefore increasingly severe green house effect. Since the world economic is still significantly dependent of fossil resources, the reduction of the CO2 evolution is  generally accompanied by sacrifice of economic growth rate, though the Kyoto agreement is  becoming popular in the world. Therefore, directly using the CO2 as raw material in high efficiency is extremely attractive in the world.
    Increasing concern on white pollution: The total plastic production in 2001 has reached  1.7x108 tons. When we enjoy the convenience from plastics in all the areas, the world is starting to be suffered by the "white pollution" from the plastics. Recently, biodegradable products have been accepted in some special areas like medical and packaging materials. The world market may reach 6.8 million tons every year even the biodegradable plastics takes only 5% of the total amount of the plastics,  this data is over half million tons even in China! However,  the market volume is severely limited by the high cost, it is less than 50,000 tons in the world, which means a long way to go for the market development. In fact, biodegradable plastics of commercially acceptable cost has been the most attractive R&D materials in the industrial as well as in the academic fields, and the most important concerns here are cost  and intellectual propriety.
    Thanks to the great discovery of S. Inoue in 1969 that carbon dioxide could be fixed into  biodegradable plastics, Air Products, PAC Polymers in USA started to sell carbon dioxide copolymer in early 1990's, for food packaging or electronic chemicals. The relative R&D work is still going on due to the high cost and poor comprehensive properties like  melt processability, mechanical and thermal properties.
    The 21 century witnesses the souring requirement on sustainable development and environmental protection, the fixation of carbon dioxide into biodegradable plastics is therefore becoming increasingly attractive. Industrial and academic concerns from USA, Japan, Korea, Russia, German, etc., are rapidly growing. Among all the activities the catalyst and  polymerization route are most important. However, almost all the catalyst met problems like low catalytic activity and long reaction time.
    The research group in Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, started the study on fixation of carbon dioxide into biodegradable copolymers.
Supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Natural Science Foundation of China, Department of Science and Technology of Jilin Province, the group  developed high efficiency rare earth ternary catalyst and bulk polymerization method, which showed great potentiality of commercialization.
    The 2000 year witnessed the successful cooperation between Mengxi High-Tech Group and  Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry. After two years of hard work and many unexpected technology innovation, a 3000 tons/a production line for biodegradable carbon dioxide copolymer(BioCO2TM), was built in Science Park, Mengxi Group, Erdos City, northwestern China.
The line is capable of producing tens of carbon dioxide copolymers with number average molecular weight from 50,000 to 180,000, polydispersity coefficient of 3-15, and glass transition temperature from 5℃ to 125℃.

Aug. 14, 2007　The Shaw Group Inc.

Shaw to Provide Technology, Engineering and Procurement Services for Two New Ethylene Plants in China

The Shaw Group Inc. announced today that its Energy & Chemicals Group has been awarded contracts to provide its proprietary technology, engineering and procurement services for two 800,000 metric tons per year grassroots ethylene plants in China. The value of Shaw's contracts, which will be reflected in its fourth quarter fiscal year 2007 backlog, was not disclosed.

The first plant, for PetroChina Fushun Petrochemical Company, will be located in Fushun, Liaoning Province. The second plant, for PetroChina Sichuan Petrochemical Company, will be located in Pengzhou, Sichuan Province. The contracts cover basic engineering, technology licensing, procurement of key equipment and materials, technical training, commissioning and start-up services.

Aug. 15, 2007 Shaw Group

Shaw to Provide Technology and Engineering for Tianjin Dagu's EB/SM Plant in China

The Shaw Group Inc. announced today that its Energy & Chemicals Group has been awarded a contract to provide technology and basic engineering for a 500,000 metric tons per annum ethylbenzene/styrene monomer (EB/SM) plant in Tianjin, China, for Tianjin Dagu Chemical Industry Co. Ltd.

The plant will be located in Tianjin Industrial Park, Lingang Industry Area, near the city of Tianjin. Shaw will also provide procurement services for critical equipment in addition to training and technical advisory services during plant construction and start-up. The value of Shaw's technology and engineering contract, which will be included in the company's fourth quarter backlog, is approximately $50 million.

The new plant will utilize proprietary EBMax(SM) and styrene technologies provided by Badger Licensing, LLC, a joint venture of affiliates of The Shaw Group Inc. and ExxonMobil Chemical Company.

EBMax(sm) includes breakthrough technology to produce ethylbenzene, a chemical intermediate used to manufacture styrene, which is commonly used to make plastic. It is based on one of Mobil's new zeolite catalysts, and was developed jointly at both Raytheon Engineers & Contractors, Inc. and Mobil laboratories.

Date:	Thu, 16 Aug 2007
From:	akiyama@oxirane.co.jp

天津大沽は塩素系の化学会社で、塩ビチェーンとPOおよびPO誘導品を事業化しています。
天津大沽は、数年前からSM・ABS等への進出を画策。
今年年始に、SINOPECの天津エチレン計画(100万�d)への参画することを決定。
能力は、SM　500kt、ABS　400kt。ABSについては、ANの調達が可能かどうか疑問。
まずは、SM先行スタートになる可能性が高いようです。
SM事業への進出ですが、意図は良く分りません。多くの中国企業がそうであるように”儲かりそうだからやる”、くらいの感じではないでしょうか。

2008/1/16 Shaw

Shaw to Provide Technology, Engineering and Procurement for Two Grassroots ABS Plants in China

The Shaw Group Inc. announced today that its Energy & Chemicals Group has been awarded a contract to provide proprietary technology, engineering and procurement services for two 200,000 metric tons per annum acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plants for Tianjin Dagu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. The plants will be located in Tianjin Industrial Park, Lingang Industry Area, in the city of Tianjin. The value of Shaw's contract, which has been included in the company's previously announced backlog, was not disclosed.

The contract covers the licensing, process design package, detailed engineering support, training and commissioning of the plants as well as procurement of proprietary and critical equipment. Shaw's agreement with SABIC Innovative Plastics Technologies, Inc. (formally GE Plastics Global Technology, LLP) will enable the two Tianjin Dagu plants to utilize the licensed styrenic emulsion ABS technology.

In 2007, Shaw announced another contract with Tianjin Dagu Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. to provide technology, basic engineering and critical equipment procurement services for a 500,000 metric tons per annum ethylbenzene/styrene monomer (EB/SM) plant also located in Tianjin, China.

2007/8/20 Asia Chemical Weekly

GoldCoal starts construction for coal based MEG project in Inner Mongolia

On Aug. 16, 2007, Tongliao GoldCoal (金煤) Company held a ceremony for its coal based MEG project in Tongliao (通遼) Economic Development Zone, Inner Mongolia.

Note: “GEM” is the official English translation of the company - 金煤, rather than “GoldCoal”

With total investment around USD 240 million (RMB 1.8 billion), the project has capacity of 200,000 ton/year, it is expected to start up by H2 2008.
The project will use the technology of Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Through this process, brown coal 褐炭 is used as the original feedstock, and syngas is produced by coal gasification, and then the MEG is produced by the reaction between syngas and H2 under the catalysts. According the announced industrial data, 1 ton MEG can be produced from 5 ton Brown Coal.

The route of coal based MEG is seemed as very competitive as current high oil price and low coal price in China.

Tongliao GoldCoal is a subsidiary of Shanghai GoldCoal New Tech. Company, which is jointly invested by Jiangsu based Danhua (丹化) Group and a Shanghai based capitals company.

China imported 4 million ton MEG in 2005 and 4.06 million ton in 2006. In H1 of 2007, China imported 2.47 million tone MEG.

中国科学院、石炭からMEG生産（Coal-to-MEG）に成功

2007/8/21 INTERFAX-CHINA

Sinopec and CNPC rivalry extends to petrochemical base in Hebei

The Hebei Development and Reform Commission has signed a contract with Sinopec to build a petrochemical refinery base in the Caofeidian area 曹妃甸 of Tangshan 唐山 City in Hebei Province, which has put similar plans by the China National Petroleum Corp. in limbo, state media reported yesterday.

The base will feature an oil refinery with an annual processing capacity of 10 million tons and an ethylene processing base with an annual processing capacity of 1 million tons, according to the Economic Observer.

In May this year, China Business News quoted a CNPC official as saying that the company plans to build a large oil refinery base in Caofeidian, an area close to the company's recently discovered Nanbao Oilfield.

Aug13 2007 Interfax-China 　　　　2006/8/1　クウェートの中国進出

Sinopec, Kuwait's JV Refinery Negotiating With Shell and Dow Chemical

Sinopec's $5 billion refinery and ethylene joint venture with Kuwait Petroleum Corp. (KPC) in southern Guangdong Province is still in negotiations with two other potential foreign partners, Royal Dutch Shell and Dow Chemical, a company official with Sinopec's Guangdong petrochemical subsidiary told Interfax today.

The idea of having more foreign partners involved in the project was put forward by KPC, which would have more of a say in a final decision, the official, who asked to remain anonymous, said. The refinery will process imported oil from Kuwait.

"Despite Kuwait's position as a rich oil supplier, it lacks refining technology and project management experience, which could be supplemented by bringing in other international oil companies such as Shell and BP," Han Xiaoping, chief consultant with energy information portal China Energy Network, said.

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2007/9/25 Reuters

Kuwait wants Shell out of China refinery plan

Kuwait wants to drop Royal Dutch Shell as a partner in a project to build a $5 billion oil refinery in Guangdong in China, Kuwait’s state news agency KUNA reported on Tuesday.

There were several reasons Kuwait no longer wanted Shell involved, including objections from the Chinese, KUNA reported, citing Chinese sources.

Kuwait was in talks with Shell’s competitor BP on participation in the project, KUNA said.

China’s Sinopec said in August it was in talks with Kuwait Petroleum Corp., Dow Chemical Co. and Shell to build the new refinery.

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Oct 1, 2007 Reuters　　　上記

Shell surprised by report Kuwait may drop China JV

Royal Dutch Shell was surprised by a report last week that Kuwait wanted to drop it as a partner in a project to build a $5 billion refinery in China, its Chief Executive Jeroen van der Veer said on Monday.

"We were surprised to read that but that's about it," Van der Veer told Reuters on the sidelines of an energy conference in Madrid.

"We have all kinds of options about refineries in China. We look at the various options and discussions are on-going but I can't be more specific," he said.

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2007/12/4 Bloomberg

China Approves $5 Billion Sinopec-Kuwait Oil Project

China Petroleum & Chemical Corp. and Kuwait Petroleum Corp. received government approval to start initial work on an oil refinery and chemical project in southern China.

The proposed ethylene plant in Nansha in the province of Guangdong will produce 1 million metric tons a year of the chemical, Sinopec, as China Petroleum is known, said in its online newsletter today, without giving the refinery size. The approval allows the partners to start feasibility studies on the project, said Sinopec spokesman Huang Wensheng.

　

The Nansha plant will be able to process 12 million tons of crude oil a year and the ethylene unit will have an annual capacity of between 800,000 tons and 1 million tons, Wang Tianpu, president of Sinopec, said in August.

　

Sinopec will halt expansion work on the ethylene unit at its Guangzhou refinery, close to the Nansha complex, according to today's statement. The existing 200,000 ton-a-year ethylene unit will be closed after the Nansha plant starts operation, it said. Sinopec had planned to increase the Guangzhou refinery's annual ethylene capacity fourfold to 800,000 tons.

Platts 2007/8/24

Shanghai Coking delays start-up new methanol plant to Q1 2008

China's Shanghai Coking has delayed the startup of its new 450,000 mt/year methanol plant in Wujin to the first quarter of 2008, a source close to the company confirmed Friday.

The plant is currently under construction at the same complex where Shanghai Coking operates a 350,000 mt/year methanol plant.

Shanghai Coking's methanol is produced from coal-gas, but its technology allows it to produce export-grade purity output.

2007/8/28 Asia Chemical Weekly

Zekai Group start construction for mega-methanol project in Inner Mongolia

On Aug. 22, 2007, China Zekai (澤楷) Group started construction for its coal based mega-methanol project in Chifeng (赤峰), Inner Mongolia.

With total investment around USD 1.07 billion (RMB 8 billion), the project will be conducted by two stages with total methanol capacity 1.8 million ton/year.

This is the first stage, the company will invest USD 400 million (RMB 3 billion) to build a 1 million ton/year methanol plant. It is expected to start up in H1 2009.

The methanol project is operated by Chifeng Zekai Energy Chemical Company, a subsidiary of China Zekai Group.

Zekai has chose the Coal gasification technology developed by East China University of Science and Technology華東理工大学, and methanol production process developed by Hangzhou based Linda Chemical Technology Company for this project, as the government encourages domestic technologies and equipments used in industrial projects.

Coal feedstock will be sourced from the local minerals; the Chifeng municipal government has arranged a coal mineral with 48.5 million ton reserve for Zekai's methanol project.

Based in Beijing, Zekai Group is a diversified private company, whose business covers capitals, Hi-tech, real estate, energy and Chemical industry.

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Hangzhou Linda chemical technology engineering LTD developed (air cooled) low pressure methanol synthesis reactor with uniform temperature in 2000,

At present, more than twenty contracts have been gained, and in which the most ability of producing methanol is 200 thousands tons per year and it has already passed the examine time. There are 13 sets which are producing or have been produced, which include Dahua Group in Dalian(the ability is 300 thousands tons per year), Yulin in Sanxi, Tianhao in Sanxi, Yunwei in Yunnan(the ability is 300 thousands tons per year) etc.

2007/8/31　日本経済新聞 　　　　　　　　　　商務部担当者による4つの視点

中国、独禁法を採択　全人代常務委
　競争促し非効率打破　外資の買収、制限の懸念

　中国の国会にあたる全国人民代表大会(全人代)の常務委員会は３０日、独占禁止法案を採択した。様々な分野で公正競争を徹底させることで、価格引き下げやサービス向上など消費者利益を拡大する狙い。

来年８月に施行する。

独禁法は価格カルテルや、行政による不当介入を禁止。企業の合併・買収時には当局がシェアなどに基づき審査する。
日本の公正取引委員会にあたる「反独占委員会」も新設する。
市場独占の判断基準を「１社で５割、２社で３分の２、３社で４分の３以上のシェアを持つ」とした。

一方、当局者は「運用は産業政策との整合性も考慮する」と述べ、国有企業が圧倒的シェアを持つエネルギー業界や政策的な再編が進む自動車業界などは適用を除外する可能性も示した。

外国企業による中国企業の合併・買収については、市場シェアとともに国家安全保障にかかわるかどうかも審査基準にすると定めた。

　

「人民網日本語版」2007年6月25日

外資の企業買収案件、国家安全審査を実施へ

2007-08-30 ChinaDaily (Xinhua)

China adopts anti-monopoly law

The Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), China's top legislature, on Thursday adopted the anti-monopoly law to ensure fair competition and regulate market order.

2007/8/30　Associated Press

China Passes Anti-Monopoly Law

National security checks that have held up U.S. and other foreign purchases of Chinese businesses became law on Thursday.

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日本経済新聞　2008/7/28 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　独禁法採択

中国独禁法　外資に警戒感
　欧米並みルール　来月施行　細則や運用 まだ不透明

　２ケタ成長の続く中国で、８月１日から独占禁止法が施行される。法律の準備に費やした１４年あまりの間に国内総生産(GDP)は世界４位に躍進。新ルールは進出する外国企業に大きな影響を及ぼしかねない。日本企業も対応に乗り出し始めたが、具体的な細則や運用実績のない現時点では不透明な面が多く、戸惑いの声も聞こえている。

　

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China Business Law Blog 中國商法博客 　August 24, 2007

Ramen Noodles, Price Fixing, and Beyond

After a month-long investigation into complaints of price fixing, the National Development and Reform Commission of China ("NDRC") delivered its verdict for the China Ramen Noodle Association ("Association")-guilty.

「人民網日本語版」2007年8月31日

独占禁止法可決、商務部担当者による4つの視点

  第10期全国人民代表大会常務委員会第29回会議は30日、独占禁止法を可決した。同法は近く正式に公布され、来年8月1日に施行される。この重要な法律をより的確に理解するために、人民日報記者は同日、商務部反独占調査弁公室の尚明主任にインタビューした。

  １．独占禁止に向けた三大制度を確定
  尚明主任は「独占禁止法は各国の独占禁止法が一般的に盛り込んでいる主要内容を含んでいる。独占禁止に向けた法制度の3つの柱とは、独占合意の禁止、市場における支配的地位の乱用禁止、経営者集中の抑制などだ。このほか、中国の経済発展の現状に即し、独占禁止法は行政権力乱用の排除、競争行為の制限（行政による独占行為）に関しても禁止規定を設けている。これに対応する形で、世界の前例と中国の現状を十分に踏まえた上で、独占禁止法は独占合意免除制度、市場支配地位推定制度、経営者集中申告制度、経営者承諾制度などを設け、中国の独占禁止法の法律としての基本的枠組みを明確にし、今後法律をよりよく執行する上での基礎を固めた。

 ２．さまざまな企業の成長を支持
  尚明主任は「独占禁止法の立法目的は、独占行為の予防と制止、市場競争の保護、経済の運営効率向上だ」と指摘した。

  中国は企業が自身の発展を通じ、競争力を強めることを奨励している。中国の独占禁止法は企業が市場の支配的地位を乱用する行為を対象としており、市場の支配的地位そのものには反対しない。このため、独占禁止法は企業が公平競争を通じ、自主的な連合、法律に基づく集中、経営規模の拡大、市場競争力の拡大を図ることを認めている。こうした手法は多くの国で立法と実践により有効性が証明されている。独占禁止法は競争システムの保護を通じ、企業規模の拡大を促進し、さまざまな企業が公平競争を通じて発展することを支持している。

3．外資による買収に関する特別条項はない
独占禁止法が外資系企業を差別待遇しているのではないかとの疑問について、尚明主任は、「独占禁止法は国内外の企業の独占行為に対し統一適用されるもので、外資による買収だけを対象とした条項はない。独占禁止法の制定目的は、さまざまな企業が公平な競争で発展成長することを促進し保障することであり、市場による淘汰システムの形成と経済成長方式の変化を促進するとともに、それに対し有効な法的保障を与えることだ」と説明した。

尚明主任は、中国経済が急速な発展を遂げ、世界貿易機関（WTO）に加盟したのに伴い、外国製品と多国籍企業による中国進出が増えており、国内企業の合併・買収はもっとも頻繁に見られる方式となった。規定によると、外資による買収案件が国家安全保障にかかわる場合、独占禁止法による経営者集中に関する審査以外に、国家の関連規定に従い国家安全審査を受けることになっている。この種の審査は国家安全保障上の配慮によるもので、独占対策に限らず、国際的にも採用されている手法だ。競争に関する審査は国内資本であれ、外国資本であれ共通のものだ。

4．合併買収案件の反独占審査を全ての企業種別に拡大
  尚明主任は、国務院から付与された反独占に関する職務をより確実に遂行するため、全国統一で開放的かつ市場競争と秩序が存在する現代市場体系の構築を目指すとした。商務部は2004年9月に反独占調査弁公室を設置し、独占対策に関する立法、取り締まり、競争対策、国際交流、国際協力などを担当させた。07年8月末現在で、商務部は外資による合併・買収案件を380件余り受理し、独占や過度の集中が生じる可能性について審査を進めている。

  独占禁止法の可決以降、企業の合併・買収に関する反独占審査は全ての類型の企業に対象を拡大される。国内企業同士の合併・買収案件もこれに含まれ、申告基準、審査手続きなどについても独占禁止法の規定に基づき調整が進められる。これにより、中国にはより完全な企業集中抑制制度が構築される。

China Chemical Reporter 2007/8/31

Tarim Petrochemical Kicks off Urea Integrated Unit

On August 15th, 2007 construction on the 800 000 t/a urea integrated unit was started in Tarium Petrochemical Corporation in Kure, Xinjiang 新疆ウイグル自治区 of northwestern China. China Petroleum 7th Construction Company undertook the construction. As the biggest urea production unit in China today, the 800 000 t/a urea integrated unit adopts the ammonia stripping technology and jet fluidized bed granulation process technology, respectively from Snamprogetti Corporation of Italy and Toyo Engineering Corporation of Japan. Waste gas and water discharged from the project are designed to meet the national standard.
With the abundant natural gas reserves in Tarim Basin as the raw material, this project is scheduled to start production in 2009. The company will consume nearly 500 million m3 of natural gas more per year. An annual sales revenue of RMB1 billion will be added for the company.

2007/9/4 Asia Chemical Weekly

China bans methanol production from natural gas

China's National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) have published a new Policy of Natural Gas Utilization, in which the methanol production from natural gas is bannes. The policy is effective since Aug. 30, 2007.

Four kind of utilization of natural gas are classified by NDRC: city gas, industrial gas, power generation and chemical. According to the new policy, the city gas usage is encouraged; while the methanol production usage is banned.

For new planned or proposed methanol projects, this policy means it is impossible to use natural gas as the feedstock. The operating natural gas based methanol plants, or constructed methanol projects, or the constructing projects which signed the gas supply contracts are excluded.

According to the industrial sources, in China, coal based methanol accounts for 75- 80% of total methanol capacity, while natural gas based methanol accounts for around 20% and the little rest are coking-oven gas and off-gas. China produced 7.62 million ton methanol in 2006.

Also, for development of pipeline network, the new policy forbids the construction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects at large and medium-sized gas fields.

中国では一次エネルギー消費のうち、クリーンな天然ガスの比率を2005年の2.8%から2010年には5.3%にアップしようとしている。
しかし、沿岸部の需要の急増で供給が追いつかない状況で、8月末に四川省から上海まで通じる天然ガスパイプライン敷設プロジェクト「川気東送プロジェクト」と、トルクメニスタン、カザフスタンなどの中央アジア国家を主要な供給源とする天然ガスを新疆ウイグル族自治区から珠江デルタと長江デルタに輸送する２本目の「西気東輸」パイプライン建設が発表されている。

今回の新政策では、パイプ輸送を進めるため、大規模、中規模のガス田でのLNG製造計画が禁止された。

---

2007/9/4 Shanghai Daily

Policy on natural gas streamlined

CHINA has enacted a new industry policy on natural gas use to address the supply shortage and optimize usage, the nation's planning agency said yesterday.

The guideline says residential gas use is a top priority, while usage in petrochemical plants is discouraged, the National Development and Reform Commission said on its Website.

The policy, described by the NDRC as of "strategic importance," became effective on August 30 after approval by the State Council.

New methanol projects that use gas as a base will be barred. Methanol, which can also be derived from coal or crude oil, is an industrial chemical and a fuel that can be mixed with gasoline and diesel to cut pollution.

The use of natural gas in other petrochemical projects and power-generation plants will also be limited or outlawed. For example, gas-fired power plants will be banned in certain coal-rich regions.

The guideline said urban residential gas use is the most favored option.

"We have to ensure gas will be first used in the residential sector," the planning body said.

"We should consider social benefits, environmental benefits and economic benefits" while deciding where the gas resources should be used first.

The NDRC said gas use should be well planned for better conservation and higher usage.

Existing gas-based petrochemical projects, especially fertilizers, will remain in operation. Those approved and under-construction projects, which have signed long-term gas-purchase contracts, also won't be affected, the NDRC said.

China wants cleaner-burning natural gas to account for 5.3 percent of total primary energy consumption by 2010, up from 2.8 percent in 2005.

But supply may not catch up with the strong demand, typically in booming coastal regions.

Several major gas-transport projects have lately been announced or launched.

Sinopec Corp on Friday started building a 1,702-kilometer pipeline to transmit gas from the Puguang field in Sichuan Province to Shanghai.

China National Petroleum Corp announced early last week the route for a mega cross-country gas pipeline, at more than 7,000 kilometers long, to transport Turkmenistan gas via far northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region to Shanghai in the east and Guangzhou in the south.

 「人民網日本語版」 2007年9月1日 　　　　

四川−上海までの天然ガスパイプライン敷設工事開始

  西は四川省の普光から東は上海まで通じる全長1700キロに達する天然ガスパイプライン敷設プロジェクト「国家『川気東送』プロジェクト」の工事着工が8月31日、北京で宣言された。この工事は、三峡ダム、西気東輸（新疆地区のガスを沿岸部に送るプロジェクト）、青蔵鉄道、南水北調（南部の水資源を北部に送るプロジェクト）に次ぐ第5大プロジェクトになると言われている。北京の日刊紙「京華時報」が伝えた。

  国家「川気東送」プロジェクト建設指導グループが31日成立し、国家発展と改革委員会の陳徳銘副主任がグループ長となった。同プロジェクトでは中国石油化工集団が投資、運営を行い、総投資額は627億元に達する。普光ガス田をおもな供給源とする「川気東送」プロジェクトでは、四川と重慶で使われるガスを合理的に供給することを前提とした上で、主に江蘇省、浙江省、上海に、さらに沿線の湖北省、安徽省、江西省にガスを供給する。2010年末には年産120億立方メートルの生産能力を確保する見込み。

  「西気東輸」プロジェクト、忠武（忠県−武漢）線、渋寧蘭（渋北−西寧−蘭州）線、陝京（陝西−北京）一線および二線などの建設、操業に続いて、「川気東送」プロジェクトの始動、「西気東輸」二線などのプロジェクトの前期行程の展開を待って、全国を網羅する天然ガスパイプライン網が形作られようとしている。 

　　　2007/9/7　四川−上海の天然ガスパイプライン「川気東送プロジェクト」工事開始

2007/08/28 .newschina.jp 　

ペトロチャイナ、２本目の西部天然ガスのパイプラインを建設

中国石油天然ガス集団公司（ペトロチャイナ）は27日、単独資本で２本目の「西気東輸（西部の天然ガスを東部に輸送する）」パイプラインを建設すると発表した。2008年に着工し、2010年に輸送を開始するという。

２本目のパイプラインによる年間輸送量は、300億立方メートルとなる見込み。新疆ウイグル族自治区から天然ガスを珠江デルタと長江デルタに輸送する予定で、トルクメニスタン、カザフスタンなどの中央アジア国家を主要な供給源とし、国内の天然ガスは予備または補充用とされる。

同社は今年7月、トルクメニスタンと協定に調印しており、それによるとすでに稼働している中央アジア天然ガスパイプライン経由で、年間300億立方メートルの天然ガスを霍爾果斯（ホルゴス）から西気東輸の２本目のパイプラインに引き入れるという。

China Chemical Reporter 2007/9/4

JKBC and Musashino Launch Biochemical Project

Construction on the high-tech biochemical project jointly funded by Jiangxi Keyuan Biotech Co., Ltd. (JKBC) and Musashino Co., Ltd. of Japan was recently started in Jiujiang 九江, Jiangxi province　江西省. The project features no pollution, high yield rate. It has a total investment of RMB3.6 billion and a construction period of 7 - 8 years. Biomass sweet potato will be used as raw material to start a biological industrial chain of biomass - L-lactic acid - polylactic acid - ethanol.
After the completion, the capacity will be
　　　　1.0 million t/a starch,
　　　　180 000 t/a L-lactic acid,
　　　　100 000 t/a polylactic acid and
　　　　400 000 t/a fuel ethanol
and the sales revenue can reach RMB8.28 billion a year.

会社名：江西武蔵野生物化工有限責任公司
　　　　　　　　Jiangxi Musashino Bio-Chem Co., Ltd
　　　　　　　　　　　　http://www.china-musashino.com
　場所　 ：江西省南昌市
　出資者：(株)武蔵野化学研究所 88.6%
　　　　　　江西省科院生物技術有限責任公司 11.4%
　　　　　　　（Jiangxi Keyuan Biotech Co., Ltd,
　　　　　　　　　a joint-stock company held by Jiangxi Academy of Sciences.）
　設立　 ：2000/11
　能力　 ：L-乳酸 5,000t/y
　　　　　　　発酵法（原料はコーンスターチ）

　　　http://www.musashino.com/japanese/intro/jmb.html

　　◎医薬・農薬向けにＤ−乳酸および同メチルの生産開始
　　　　　2006/2　試作品製造、2006/秋に本格的市場投入予定。

2007-9-7 CCR

Kick off of Coal Chemical Project in Guizhou 貴州省遵義

On August 28th, 2007 construction on the first-phase coal chemical project of Tongzi county was started in Tongzi county, Zunyi 遵義, Guizhou province of southwestern China. As a modern large clean coal chemical project, the first-phase coal chemical project has a capacity of 300 000 t/a synthetic ammonia, 520 000 t/a urea, 300 000 t/a methanol and 200 000 t/a urinary compound fertilizer.

 The project is planned to spend a total investment of RMB3.5 billion, with Guizhou Jinyuan Group Co., Ltd. and Guizhou Chitianhua Group Co., Ltd. each subscribing 50%. This first-phase coal chemical project is expected to go on stream in 2009. After its startup, a sales revenue of RMB1.6 billion will be added for the company per year.

2007/9/10 Blackstone

ChemChina Announces Strategic Investment by Blackstone

China National Chemical Corporation (“ChemChina”　中国化工集団公司), a leading international diversified chemical company, and The Blackstone Group today announced a strategic partnership to build a global leader in the specialty chemical industry.
The Blackstone Group will invest up to US$ 600 million into China National Bluestar (Group) Corporation (“Bluestar”藍星グループ), a wholly-owned subsidiary of ChemChina, for a 20% stake.

About ChemChina
ChemChina, a large State-owned enterprise, was established in 2004 following the restructuring of certain enterprises directly subordinate to the former Ministry of Chemical Industry. After three years’ development, it has become a leading chemical group in China. ChemChina has 92 production and operation enterprises, and 24 scientific and research and design institutes.

About Bluestar
China National Bluestar (Group) Corporation is a core part of ChemChina’s subsidiary companies. Bluestar was founded twenty three years ago by Mr. Ren Jianxin with a group of seven individuals taking a loan of RMB 10,000 in Lanzhou. Bluestar is a leading manufacturer of new material and specialty chemical products. For detailed information, please visit 　www.china-bluestar.com

About The Blackstone Group
The Blackstone Group is a leading global alternative asset manager and provider of financial advisory services. Its alternative asset management businesses include the management of corporate private equity funds, real estate opportunity funds, funds of hedge funds, mezzanine funds, senior debt funds, proprietary hedge funds and closed-end mutual funds. The Blackstone Group also provides various financial advisory services, including mergers and acquisitions advisory, restructuring and reorganization advisory and fund placement service.
同社はCelanese を買収して上場、その後株式を売却した。

---

Asia Chemial Weekly

Blackstone buys BlueStar stakes from ChemChina

US private equity firm Blackstone Group andannounced to form a strategic partnership that Blackstone will buy a 20% stake with USD 600 million in China Bluestar (Group) Corp, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ChemChina.

Bluestar needs capital for its development in chemical sector. Earlier, the company announced that it will build total POM capacity of 200,000 ton/year by three stages in Shanghai.

In July 2007, Bluestar signed an agreement with Lanzhou government, to invest USD 147 million for the proposed 55,000 ton/year BDO and 30,000 ton/year Polyphenylene Oxide (PPO) projects in Lanzhou, Gansu Province. Also in July 2007, Bluestar started construction for its 80,000 ton/year SM project in Daqing, Heilongjiang Province.

According to ChemChina, given Blackstone's successful experience in chemical industry, particularly past ownership of Celanese and Nalco, this investment will assist Bluestar in its growth and expansion. Meanwhile, Blackstone believes that the continued economic growth will drive long-term growth in China's chemical sector.

Blackstone is partly owned by the Chinese government, which bought a USD 3 billion stake in May 2007.

2007/9/18 Asia Chemical Weekly

Boyuan starts up natural gas based methanol project in Inner Mongolia

Sep. 10, 2007, Boyuan (博源) United Chemical Co. held a ceremony for its start-up of 1 million ton/year natural gas methanol project in Erdos, Inner Mongolia.

The project was started construction in Sep. 2004. With total investment of USD 196 million (RMB 1.47 billion), the project includes two production units, one is 400,000 ton/year and another is 600,000 ton/year.

Feedstock will be sourced from the Sulige gas field in Erdos Basin. Boyuan United Chemical has signed long-term natural gas supply contract so that the operation of this project will not impacted by the New Policy of Natural Gas Utilization.

Earlier, NDRC published a new natural gas utilization policy to ban the methanol production from natural gas which was effective since Aug. 30, 2007. Meanwhile, the operating natural gas based methanol plants, or constructed methanol projects, or the constructing projects which signed the gas supply contracts are excluded.

Boyuan United Chemical is a jv between Inner Mongolia based Yuanxing (遠興) Energy Co.(51.2%), US based Sigma investment co. (33.8%) and Inner Mongolia based Boyuan Investment Group (15%).

Yuanxing Energy’s another subsidiary - Sulige Natural Gas Chemical Co. - is operating an 180,000 ton/year methanol plant in Erdos. The company is constructing a new 150,000 ton/year naural gas based methanol project in the same site.

Zoomchina.com.cn 2007/7/20

Inner Mongolia Natural Gas Pipeline starts servicing

The Inner Mongolia Wushen natural gas pipeline starts from CNPC Sulige First Natural Gas Processing Plant and ends in the Wushenqi Industrial Park with the length of 120 km.
This pipeline is designed to supply gas 1 bn cm per year, servicing Inner Mongolia Boyuan United Chemical Engineering Co. for its 1 mm tons methanol project. Presently the company needs 0.35 bn cm natural gas per year and the demand will increase to 1 bn cm by 2010.

---

Inner Mongolia News  2007-03-20

Ordos to be largest methanol production base

The city of Ordos in north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will become the country's largest methanol production base this year, the China Securities Journal reports.

Currently, six methanol projects are being built in Ordos, with a combined production capacity of 9.6 million tons.

A million-ton-a-year project, being built by Inner Mongolia Boyuan United Chemical Co. Ltd., will go into production at the end of this year. The other five will be completed by 2010, bringing the city's annual methanol output to 10 million tons.

The largest project in the area will have a capacity of 4.2 million tons. It is being built by the China National Coal Group Corp., China Petroleum and Chemical Corp., China Yintai Investment Corp. and two other companies.

Currently, the country's largest methanol unit, located in southern Hainan Province and owned by China National Offshore Oil Corp., started operation on September 12, 2006 and is capable of producing 600,000 tons of methanol a year, said the report.

Ordos has become the home of many methanol projects because the city has rich coal and natural gas resources, which are essential for methanol production, the report quoted an unnamed analyst as saying.

Proven coal reserves around Ordos are estimated at 149.6 billion tons, making up half of Inner Mongolia's total reserves and one sixth of the national total.

Rising international oil prices have created a huge market potential for developing methanol and other clean alternatives, said the analyst.

The domestic price of methanol has soared to 3,000 yuan (384.62 U.S. dollars) a ton as China faces tight supplies of natural gas and will no longer approve new projects with a capacity of less than 1 million tons a year, he added.

During the past two years, 54 methanol companies went into production, with a total capacity of 8.44 million tons a year.

China will build 88 projects over the next four years and increase methanol output to 48.5 million tons a year.

Platts　2007/9/20

China to restrict foreign capital in ethanol projects

China said Thursday it would restrict foreign investment in the corn-processing industry as one measure to address a projected domestic supply deficit of corn in the the country by 2010.

In guidelines on the industry's development published by the National Development and Reform Commission on its website, the country's top economic planning agency said all new corn-processing projects and production expansion projects would have to be evaluated and approved by the relevant investment departments of the cabinet, the State Council.

Foreign investments in all corn-processing projects are in the restricted category, the NDRC guidelines said. The Chinese central government will not approve foreigners investing in new ethanol projects, nor will they be allowed to merge, acquire or restructure ethanol producers operating in China.

Any new corn-processing project plans which have been submitted to the government for approval, but have yet to start construction, should be called off, the NDRC said. The government would also tighten the evaluation of expansion projects which are being developed.

September 17, 2007 XFN-ASIA via COMTEX

China's Sinopec in talks with Sasol on new coal-to-liquid project - minister

Sinopec is in talks with South Africa's Sasol on a new coal-to-liquid project, said Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai.

Bo, speaking at the Coal and Energy New Industry Expo in Taiyuan in northern China's Shanxi Province, did not disclose any further details about the talks.

Sasol is also involved in coal-to-oil projects in Ningxia and Shaanxi, major coal producing regions in northwest China.

Bo said that coal liquefaction had become a key part of efforts to make the industry more sustainable. However, analysts have expressed concern about the viability of the projects. Two years ago, the central government also said that a number of new coal-to-oil projects were being built before the technology involved had been fully proven .

Global crude prices rose to over 80 usd a barrel last week, piling more pressure on Sinopec's refining margins. Oil processed from coal is believed to be an economically feasible alternative to traditional oil products only when the price of crude exceeds around 60 usd a barrel.

China's plans to convert its coal into more environmentally-friendly oil products are likely to be realized by next year, with the country's biggest coal producer, Shenhua, close to completing its first facility in Erdos in the northwestern region of Inner Mongolia, company officials at the Expo said.

Shenhua's Erdos facility will use homegrown direct liquefaction technology.

2007/9/20 Platts

Manpower crisis likely to delay China's new ethylene projects

China's new ethylene, polyethylene and polypropylene projects, scheduled to start up between 2007 and 2011, are expected to face delays due to shortage of manpower, Gao Chunyu, a senior engineer at China Petrochemical Consulting Corporation, said Thursday afternoon.

polymer-age.co.uk April 23, 2007

Radici makes nylons in China

Italian engineering plastics manufacturer Radici Novacips has opened a plant in China. It has set up Radici Plastics (Suzhou) Co at Suzhou in Jiangsu province, about 80 km from Shanghai. The new company will produce polyamide compounds (Radilon PA6 and PA66). Other products, such as Raditer PBT may be added in the future. Radici expects the average growth rate of polyamide consumption in China to be 13 per cent from 2003 to 2008.

polymer-age.co.uk September 21, 2007

RadiciGroup and Lati have signed a letter of intent to set up a 50:50 joint venture in Suzhou, 80 km from Shanghai, at the RadiciPlastics Suzhou Co compounding plant, started up by RadiciGroup in April of this year.
The joint venture will make engineering compounds under both companies' brand names for sale in the South East Asian market, particularly China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Singapore. It will also sell all the compounds of both parent companies which cannot yet be made at the plant.
Lati Industria Termoplastici makes high performance compounds and is a specialist in self-extinguishing materials for the electrical and household appliance sectors, and RadiciGroup is vertically integrated in nylons and polyesters, with an emphasis on automotive, electrical/electronic, industrial equipment and packaging applications.

2007-9-21 CCR

Huatai Paper Intends to Start Chemical Business

    Shandong Huatai Paper Co., Ltd. 山東華泰紙業announced on September 12th it plans to issue 100 million domestic shares for RMB3.5 billion, building a 500 000 t/a ion-membrane caustic soda project and a forest/paper integrated project. The business of the company will shift from papermaking business to the combination papermaking and chemicals.
    RMB900 million to be raised will be used in the 500 000 t/a ion-membrane caustic soda project. The project will be based on Dongying Xiefa Chemical Co., Ltd. purchased by Huatai in 2006. Xiefa Chemical Co., Ltd. already has 16 years' experience of chlor-alkali production and owns a 120 000 t/a ion-membrane caustic soda unit, a 60 000 t/a diaphragm caustic soda unit, a 150 000 t/a hydrogen peroxide project, a 30 000 t/a chloropropene unit and a fine chemical plant. It has unique advantages in the development of chlor-alkali production. Dongying, Shandong province where the company located, has rich sea salt resources and underground rock salt resources.
   The company will hold a shareholders conference to check the new issuance. If it is agreed, the issuance is still subject to supervisors.  

2007/11/19 Asia Chemical Weekly

Huatai starts construction for caustic soda project

On Nov. 8, Huatai Chemical started construction for its first stage ion-membrane caustic soda project in Dongying Economic Development Zone, Dongying , Shandong Province.

This project will provide raw materials for the proposed TiO2 project of Dupont. In Apr. 2006, Huatai Chem signed a supply contract with Dupont. According the contract, Huatai would provide the caustic soda, chlorine, HCl and the steam for TiO2 project of Dupont.

In Nov. 2005, Dupont signed an agreement with the local government to build a world scale TiO2 project in Dongying , Shandong Province, which is also located at the Economic Development Zone of Dongying City. In the first phase of construction, the investment is expected as USD 700-800 million and it would have an initial capacity of 200,000 ton/year. Recently, the project has got the Environmental Evaluation approval from government; it is expected to start up in 2010.

Huatai Chem will build 1 million ton/year caustic soda project by two stages. In the first stage, it will cost around USD 600 million (RMB 4.5 billion), to build 500,000 ton/year caustic soda, 100,000 ton/year ECH, 200,000 ton/year H2O2, 100,000 ton/year PO, 120,000 ton/year organosilicon and 100,000 ton/year aniline units.

Huatai Chem plans to build the second stage project after the first stage is completed; it includes another 500,000 ton/year caustic soda, and 300,000 ton/year H2O2.

Huatai Chem is a subsidiary of Shandong based Huatai Group, which is a paper making company and also produces caustic soda and H2O2.

---

As the largest newspaper paper production base in the world, Huatai is No.1 to go into the stock exchange in this field of Shandong Province and one of Top-30 of them. It ranks also No.1 in the integrated index in our Chinese paper and print companies in stock exchanges, so it is called the paper enterprise, the strongest in development and competition in China. 

The company has now 3 production bases, Huatai Green Industry Park, Huatai Qinghe Green Ecology Industry Park and Rizhao Huatai Pulp & Paper Industry Park. They can make the papers of 4 series and more than 100 types with an annual output capacity of 1.6 million tons, including newspaper, culture, packing, daily life papers. 

In 2006 Huatai can make the high-grade newspaper paper of 1.2 million tons every year. It has covered a share of 1/3 in our domestic market, and at the same time, it filled a gap at home and finished a history about that we had to import the high-grade newspaper paper from foreign countries for many years. Until now, it provides the paper products to People’s Daily, Economic Daily and Yangzi Evening Paper as well as so many newspapers printed by the large newspaper groups in south China and won more good reputations from the foreign clients after going into the international market.  

2007/9/24　Asia Chemical Weekly　　　　　　　　　　　　　 Methanex release

Methanex joins XinAo's DME project in Zhangjiagang

Methanex, the Canada based methanol producer and marketer, has joined a Di-Methyl Ether (DME) project by acquiring the 20% stake of XinAo's under construction DME project for USD 5.4 million in Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province.

The DME project is being conducted by XinNeng (Zhangjiagang) Energy Co., a subsidiary of DME production and marketing company in China's XinAo Group. 新奥集団

The DME project will include two stages. In the first stage, XinNeng is building a 200,000 ton/year DME plant which is expected to start up by November 2007. In the second stage, the company will expand the total capacity to 1 million ton/year in the same site.

Feedstock - methanol - will be provided by Methanex through importing, as Zhangjiagang nearing Yangzi River and has a good logistics condition. Under a separate arrangement between the two companies, Methanex will supply up to 300,000 tonn/year of methanol for XinAo's DME production at the plant's first phase.

The first investment in the DME market will give Methanex considerable insight into the DME industry and help evaluate the potential for further growth opportunities in China and other countries around the world, according to Methanex, the so called world largest methanol producer.

DME, which is produced from methanol, can be blended by up to 25% with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and used for city gas. It can also be used as a clean burning substitute for diesel in transportation.

Based in Hebei Province, XinAo Group is a private company; its business includes city fuel gas, energy chemical, real estate, and bio-chemicals.

Also in Zhangjiagang, Jiutai Energy 久泰能源 is also building a DME project. In the first stage, Jiutai is building a 300,000 ton/year facility and aim to start up by the end of 2007. In the second stage, the company will build another 700,000 tonne/year facility in 2008.

新奥集団は河北省廊坊市に拠点を置くコングロマリットで、都市ガス、エネルギー機器、不動産、バイオケミカルなどの事業を行っている。

同社は内蒙古自治区のオルドスでもメタノール/DME計画を行なっており、世銀の国際金融公社（IFC）との間で総額1億4500万ドルの包括融資契約に調印している。
第１期は2007年末までにメタノール（60万トン）とＤＭＴ（40万トン）を建設、第２期として2010年までにメタノール 180万トンを建設する。

Jiutai Energy 内蒙古で年産１００万トンのＤＭＥ計画スタート

Platts 2007/9/25

US' PetroSun enters China biofuels program via new subsidiary

US-headquartered PetroSun has formed a wholly owned subsidiary, PetroSun BioFuels China, to expand into the Chinese alternative fuels market.

It has got the license to introduce the algae-to-biofuels techonology in China through an exclusive agreement with another PetroSun wholly owned subsidiary PetroSun BioFuels.　 藻からエタノール

PetroSun BioFuels China will produce and market algae-based biodiesel and ethanol through agreements that will be announced in the next two weeks, the company announced.

PetroSun is a diversified energy company specializing in the discovery and development of both traditional fossil fuels and renewable energy resources.

2007-10-11 CCR

Qinghua Group Starts up 200 000 T/A Methanol Project

On September 28th, 2007 the 200 000 t/a methanol project in Inner Mongolia Qinghua Group Co., Ltd. started production in Alasan Economic Development Zone, Inner Mongolia.
The project has a total investment of RMB245.9 million, and after the completion of the project the output value in the company is expected to increase more than RMB400 million a year.

2007-10-16 CCR

50 000 T/A BDO Project Kicks off

On September 28th, 2007 Henan Kaixiang Fine Chemical Co., Ltd. started the construction of 50 000 t/a 1,4-butanediol (BDO) project in Yima, Henan province. 河南省義馬市
The project using alkyne - aldehyde process is jointly funded by Henan Kaixiang Electric Power Industry Co., Ltd. and SOWIN Industrial (HK) Limited with an investment of RMB800 million.
After the completion of the project, the sales revenue will be added by around RMB1.0 billion a year.

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November, 2004 　China Chemical Reporter

Methanol project in Henan Yima approved

The 2 x 200 000 t/a methanol project in Henan Yima with a total investment of RMB1.6 billion has recently been approved by Henan Development and Reform Commission.

2007/10/18 Asia Chemical Weekly

Wanhua gets nod for new MDI project in Ningbo

Ningbo Wanhua Polyurethane Company has got the final approval from NDRC for its new large-scale MDI project in Daxie Island , Ningbo , Zhejiang Province.

With investment around USD 330 million RMB 2.5 billion, the proposed project has capacity of 300,000 ton/year. It will start construction by the end of 2007 and will be completed by H1 of 2010.

The new project will share part of the utilities with the neighbored existing MDI plant. Besides, Wanhua will also invest USD 267 million (RMB 2 billion) to build other related projects including Nitric Acid, Nitrobenzene, Aniline, Formaldehyde etc. It will use Wanhua's self-owned technology, which is greatly supported by government. Wanhua is the so-called fourth owner of large-scale MDI production technology in the world.

Currently, Ningbo Wanhua has an existing 160,000 ton/year MDI plant, which has being expanded to nameplate capacity 240,000 ton/year since mid Oct. 2007 and to be completed by the end of this year. According to the company, after startup of expansion, by improving, the actual maximum annual output could reach 300,000 ton.

Wanhua is the largest MDI producer in China . Besides the MDI plant in Ningbo , it also operates a 100,000 tonne/year unit in Yantai , Shandong province. According to the company, it has total capacity 260,000 tonne/year and output 252,000 ton in 2006. The company hopes total MDI output to reach 700,000 ton by 2010.

2007-10-18 CCR

120 000 T/A Methylamine/DMF Project Starts Production 　河南省安陽市

    On October 9th, 2007 the 120 000 t/a methylamine/DMF (dimethyl formamide) project in Jiuyang Company of Anyang Jiutian Chemical Group was completed and went on stream in Anyang, Henan province.
    The project has a total investment of around RMB400 million and occupies an area of 5.3 hectares. The completion of the project has enabled the company to become the leading mixed methylamine and DMF producer in China.
    Jiutian Chemical Group is a subsidiary of Anyang Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd. It got listed in Singapore Exchange Limited, SGX on May 4th, 2006.

Anyang Chemical Industry Group Co.,Ltd（previous Anyang Fertilizer Factory），built in 1969 and gone into productipn in 1973.is the important production base of fertilizer and chemical industry in Henan province,one of the 500 largest chemical industry enterprises in China.one of the 100 key enterprises in Henan province,state large first grade enterprise which has the managing right to export products,engineering technology and labour service.

The main products are “YUZHU”band urea with 400,000 ton per year,combined fertilizer 200,000 ton per year,industrial methanol with 60,000 ton per year,high purity α-linolenic acid capsule 20 ton per year,methylamine 30,000 ton per year,DMF 30,000 ton per year,Besides supplying these products to domestic markets,we also export them to the U.S.A,South-East Asia and so on.The enterprise has widely developing prospects.

Platts 2007/10/24

Continental Chemical to convert China biodiesel plant to DOP

Singapore's Continental Chemical Corporation plans to convert its biodiesel plant in Guangdong, China into a dioctyl phthalate plant, said a company source on Wednesday.

Existing technology at the biodiesel plant will be replaced to make way for a new 30,000 mt/year DOP plant. The biodiesel plant currently produces a non-petroleum based fuel from vegetable oils.

Continental Chemical is a leading producer of intermediate chemicals and specialty resins in Asia. We have over 100 different products, and are the largest producer of phthalic anhydride (PA) and plasticizers in Southeast Asia.

Our production facilities are strategically located in Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and China. Our products are used in the manufacture of a wide range of day-to-day applications and are sold across the United States, Australia, the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia and China.

Singapore
- Continental Chemical Corporation Pte Ltd
- Continental Plasticizers (Singapore) Pte Ltd
- Continental Research and Development Pte Ltd

Indonesia
- PT Petronika
- PT Continental Solvindo

Thailand
- Continental Petrochemicals (Thailand) Company Ltd
- Continental Specialties (Thailand) Company Ltd

2003/12/30

Continental Petrochemicals (Thailand) has completed its debottlenecking exercise on its phthalic anhydride (PA) plant at Bangplee, Samutprakan.

The exercise has expanded the plant's capacity by 67% to 50,000 tonne/year. 

The Company's plant is the only PA plant in Thailand and serves customers in the region. The Company also produces dioctyl phthalate (DOP).

Hong Kong
- Continental Pacific (Hong Kong) Private Ltd

China
- Continental Specialties (Guangzhou) Company Ltd
- Continental Petrochemicals (Zhuhai) Company Ltd

　

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　　　　↑

Platts　2009/7/15

Singapore Continental freezes China PA, DOP project on cash woes

Singapore's Continental Chemical Corp. has suspended indefinitely construction on a phthalic anhydride and dioctyl phthalate project at Zhuhai in China's Guangdong province, although both plants are close to completion, an industry source said Tuesday.
The project's completion has been delayed numerous times due to financial constraints. But construction work eventually ground to a halt three to four months ago, and it remains unclear when building activity can be expected to resume, he said.

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Platts 2009/7/17

Austrian bank asks Singapore court to wind up Continental Chem 　　会社清算

Austrian bank Raiffeisen Zentralbank has petitioned for winding-up proceedings in Singapore against Continental Chemical Corp., court documents showed.
A public hearing was initially scheduled for July 17 at 10:00 am local time, but has been postponed to August 17, a representative for Allen & Gledhill, which is representing the bank, said.

　　　　↓

Platts 2007/10/29

Continental Chemical plans to relocate Singapore PA plant

Singapore's Continental Chemical Corporation plans to relocate its existing phthalic anhydride plant in Singapore to Zhuhai province, China eventually, said a company source on Monday.

The company's plant in Singapore has a nameplate capacity of 80,000 mt/year. It was unclear whether the plant was currently in operation. The plant appears to have been idled for at least one year, according to a Southeast Asian market source.

2007-11-1　CCR

200 000 T/A Dimethyl Ether Project Starts Production

On October 18th, 2007 the 200 000 t/a dimethyl ether project in Inner Mongolia Tianhe Chemical Co., Ltd. was completed and went on stream in Bayanzhuoer, Inner Mongolia.
It is one of the major investment projects in Sichuan Chemical Holdings Group Co., Ltd. during the Eleventh Five-year Program period (2006-2010). The project has an investment of around RMB200 million and the construction was started in August 2006.

2007/09/25 Lurgi

Lurgi Zimmer to build largest PA6 plant in mainland China

Lurgi Zimmer GmbH, a company of Lurgi AG, Frankfurt/Germany, has contracted a Polyamide-6 plant to be built for Liheng (Changle) Polyamide Technology Co. Ltd. in the province of Fujian, China. Polyamide is a widely used polymer for sophisticated technical and textile applications.

Liheng is the largest textile PA6 filament producer in China and will add to its production the largest continuous polymerization capacity for Polyamide 6 in mainland China.

The plant, which features a unit to recover high quality caprolactam from extract water, has a capacity of 200 t/d high quality textile grade chips. The facility will be located in the Binhai 濱海 Industrial Zone near Changle 長楽 City and will go on stream in 2009.

Lurgi Zimmer will provide the technology, basic engineering, procurement of equipment, and supervision services. This project is the second order in short term with the two-stage Zimmer^®  polymerization PA6 technology and again strengthens Lurgi Zimmer´s position in the PA6 and Chinese market.

Liheng currently has the capacity to produce 75,000 mt/year of polyamide chips and 42,000 mt/year of polyamide yarn at the site. The company is owned by Hongkong Liheng International Holding Co Ltd. Polyamide is used to produce textiles.

　　　　　　　Lurgi

Establishment as Lurgi AG (1990)
In order to meet the requirements of the international markets, Lurgi constituted itself as a German stock corporation in 1990. Its operating limited liability companies - Chemie, Metallurgie und Industriebau; Energie- und Umwelttechnik; Gas- und Mineralöltechnik - each had their own engineering and commercial staff.

Zimmer AG (1991)
In 1991, Lurgi pooled its polymer activities by taking over Zimmer AG from the British Davy-McKee AG as the fourth operating company.

2010/08/18

Lurgi being awarded the second Polyamide 6-plant by LiHeng 　

Lurgi GmbH has been awarded a contract for the second phase Polyamide-6 polymerization by LiHeng (Changle) Polyamide Technology Co., Ltd. 力恆錦綸 in Changle City, Fujian, China. In the course of an impressive development of the company, LiHeng are actually operating the world`s largest Polyamide-6 plant with proven Zimmer two-stage Polyamide- 6 technology with a capacity of 200 tons per day (70,000 mt/year) and now have awarded Lurgi the new contract for two lines with a nameplate capacity of another 100.000 tons per annum. 　　（長楽市濱海工業区 ）

Lurgi will supply the Zimmer two-stage Polyamide-6 technology with the basic engineering, the main equipment including the pre-polymerization and VK tube reactors, and the supervision of erection and commissioning.

“This project is another order with the two-stage ZimmerR polymerization Polyamide-6 technology and again strengthens Lurgi´s position in the Polyamide-6 and Chinese market.“ (Francois Venet, CEO of Lurgi GmbH.)

Jun19 2010

China's Li Heng to build polyamide chip plant in Fujian's Changle 　力恒化繊科技

China's Li Heng Chemical Fibre Technologies Limited plans to build a polyamide chip plant alongside its existing facilities in the Binhai Industrial Zone in Changle, Fujian province, the company said late Thursday.

The new polyamide chip plant that will be built at an estimated cost of Yuan 715 million ($105 million) will have a nameplate capacity of 100,000 mt/year. Planning and construction works will commence in the third quarter of this year and completion is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2011.

"Upon completion of the new PA chip plant, we expect to be self-sufficient in PA chips for production of our nylon yarn products," the company said in a statement on its website.

According to that statement, Li Heng's existing 70,000 mt/year polyamide chip plant currently supports 55% of its requirements in 2010 and that percentage will to fall to 40% into 2011.

Li Heng also expects its new polyamide chip plant to aid in the company's cost savings amidst newly imposed antidumping tariffs on imported material.

On April 22, China's Ministry of Commerce finalized antidumping tariffs on imports of polyamide 6 chips, also known as nylon 6 chips, originating from the US, the European Union, Russia and Taiwan for five years. Finalized duties range between 4.2% and 96.5%.

Polyamide or nylon chips, is a polymer produced from caprolactam. It is commonly used in fiber, textile, electronics, automobile, the food product and pharmaceutical sectors.

　

Li Heng is principally engaged in the manufacture and sale of high-end nylon yarn products. We have two production facilities in Changle長楽 City, Fujian Province which are strategically located amongst clusters of textile and garment manufacturing industries and related supporting service industries. All our products are sold under our brand names, "力源" ("Liyuan") and "力恒" ("Liheng").

Since 2009, Li Heng has also moved upstream to produce the main raw material, Polyamide Chips ("PA chip") in the nylon yarn production process. Led by an experienced management team and leveraging its established brand names, Li Heng is well-positioned to capitalise on the strong growth potential in the domestic fibre and textile sectors in the PRC by expanding its manufacturing and product innovation capabilities.

Our principal product lines are:

• Nylon Highly Oriented Yarn ("HOY") or Partially Oriented Yarn (”POY”)
• Nylon Fully Drawn Yarn ("FDY")
• Nylon Drawn Textured Yarn ("DTY")

2003	力源Liyuan Production Facilities, the Group’s first plant, was established in the PRC at Jinfeng Industrial Zone, Changle City, Fujian 　長楽市金峰工業区
2005	力恒Liheng Production Facilities, the Group’s second plant, was established at Binhai Industrial Zone, Changle City, Fujian 　長楽市濱海工業区
2006	Restructuring exercise began to amalgamate the business and operations of both Changle Liyuan Polyamide Enterprise Co.,Ltd and Liheng (Changle) Polyamide Technology Co.,Ltd.
2007	Production capacity raised to 92,400mt per annum (Liyuan Production Facilities 40,500mt and Liheng Production Facilities 51,900 mt)
2008	Nylon production capacity was further increased to 167,200 mt per annum while Li Heng signed contracts for construction of the PA Chip Plant with renowned engineering German company Lurgi Zimmer GmbH and China Beijing Sanlian Hope Textile & Chemical Technology Co.Ltd
2009	Li Heng’s first PA chip plant with a daily design production capacity of 200 mt on the premise of Liheng Production Facilities successfully commenced.
2010	Production capacity of nylon yarns increased to 257,000 mt per annum. Second phase of PA chip plant with an annual production capacity of 100,000mt will be built on Liheng Production Facilities with expected completion at the end of 2011.

2007/11/5　Nufarm　 　　　　　　ブログ

Nufarm agrees to exclusivity for acquisition proposal at $17.25 cash plus a dividend of up to $0.30 per share

Nufarm advises that it has received a non-binding and conditional proposal from a consortium comprising China National Chemical Corporation (“ChemChina”), The Blackstone Group (”Blackstone”) and Fox Paine Management III, LLC (“Fox Paine III”) (collectively, the “Consortium”) relating to a proposal to acquire, by way of scheme of arrangement, 100% of Nufarm shares for $17.25 per share. Additionally, Nufarm will pay a dividend of up to $0.30 per share based on the company’s earnings and cashflow prior to the acquisition (for total consideration of up to $17.55 per share).



The proposal of $17.25 per share and a dividend of up to $0.30 per share values Nufarm’s market capitalisation at up to $3.0 billion, which represents:　3 billion Australian dollar bid (US$2.77 billion)

November 3, 2007 　biz.thestar.com.my/　

ChemChina and Blackstone making joint US$3bil offer for Nufarm

China National Chemical Corp (ChemChina) and Blackstone Group are teaming up to offer more than US$3bil for Australian farm chemicals group Nufarm Ltd, a source said yesterday.


ChemChina's plan marks its latest push offshore, which began in 2005, when it bought a European silicone business Rhodia of France and acquired Australia's top polyethylene producer, Qenos, from Exxon Mobil and Orica Ltd.

About Nufarm

Nufarm Limited is one of the world's leading crop protection companies. We produce products to help farmers protect their crops against damage caused by weeds, pests and disease.

With manufacturing and marketing operations based in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, Europe and the Americas, Nufarm employs more than 2,600 people, all of whom make a vital contribution to the company's reputation for quality products, innovation and first class marketing and technical support.

Proudly based in Australia, Nufarm is listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (symbol NUF). Its head office is located at Laverton in Melbourne.

オーストラリアのメルボルンに本社を有し、化学薬品の合成、販売、マーケティングを主としています。生産とフォーミュレーションに関するグローバルネットワークを持ち、農薬事業を専門としながら、数多くの工業用化学薬品事業、ファインケミカル事業、高機能化学品事業も展開しています。オーストラリア、ニュージーランド、アジア、アフリカ、欧州、北米に2,500人以上の社員を擁しています

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December 10th 2007 Nufarm 　　　

Update on Acquisition Proposal

On 5 November 2007 Nufarm advised that it had received a non-binding and conditional proposal from a consortium comprising China National Chemical Corporation, The Blackstone Group and Fox Paine Management III (collectively, the Consortium) to acquire Nufarm, by way of scheme of arrangement, for $17.25 cash per share plus payment of a pre-acquisition dividend of up to $0.30 per share.

Nufarm and the Consortium entered into an Exclusivity Deed on 5 November that will expire at midnight tonight, 10 December. Nufarm has provided the Consortium with due diligence in accordance with that deed.

The Consortium has advised Nufarm that it will be unable to formalise its proposal prior the expiry of the exclusivity period and, accordingly, discussions between Nufarm and the Consortium have ceased.

Nufarm is not obliged to provide any cost reimbursement to the Consortium and, once the Exclusivity Deed has expired, Nufarm will no longer be under any exclusivity obligations to the Consortium.

Nufarm's Chairman, Mr Kerry Hoggard, said "Nufarm's Board and management remain committed to maximising value for our shareholders. Looking forward, we are strongly positioned to generate additional growth from our existing business and to participate actively in industry consolidation opportunities.

"Nufarm will continue with its expansion plans in the context of a very positive environment and future outlook for companies involved in agricultural industries."

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Dec. 12 2007 Bloomberg

Nufarm Isn't in Takeover Talks With India's United Phosphorous

Nufarm Ltd., an Australian supplier of farm chemicals, isn't in talks with India's United Phosphorus Ltd. or any other group for a takeover after the collapse of a A$3 billion ($2.6 billion) offer from China National Chemical Corp.

United Phosphorus may bid for Nufarm, CNBC TV18 reported yesterday, without saying where it got the information. United Phosphorus, India's biggest maker of pesticides by value, said it wouldn't comment on market speculation, the channel reported.

日本経済新聞　2007/11/4

三菱商事　中国石炭最大手と提携　開発や環境事業など

　三菱商事は世界最大の石炭生産会社である中国・神華集団の中核子会社、神華能源(北京市)と資本業務提携した。約１５０億円を投じ、香港株式市場に上場している神華能源株約３千万株を取得した。石炭販売や炭鉱開発など資源ビジネスで協力するほか、環境事業や鉱山・発電用設備の導入など幅広い分野で連携していく。

三菱商事　中国石炭最大手・神華能源と提携　

CCR 2007/11/5

Zhenbang and Korean SK Set up JV for polyester chip

On October 29th, Zhejiang Zhenbang Fiber Co., Ltd. (浙江振邦化繊有限公司) and SK Corporation of Korea set up a joint venture (JV)-Ningbo SK Zhenbang Chemical Co., Ltd. - for the production of polyester chip for bottle in Cixi, Zhejiang province 浙江省 慈渓市.
The new JV has a registered capital of US$19.3 million, with a stake split of 54.4: 45.6 between Zhenbang and SK. The new plant is scheduled for startup in December 2008, to produce polyester chip for bottle of 150 thousand tons per year in the fist phase and further expand to produce polyester chips for bottle of 400 thousand tons per year in the next three years.

2007/11/7 Rubber World

PetroChina selects Basell's Hostalen technology

PetroChina has selected Basell’s Hostalen technology for two new high density polyethylene plants; a 300 KT per year plant in Chengdu, Sichuan province, and a 350 KT per year plant in Fushun, Liaoning province, China. Start-up for both plants is expected to be in 2011. “We are very pleased that PetroChina has selected the Hostalen process technology for their two latest world scale petrochemical complex investments,” said Just Jansz, president of Basell’s Technology Business. “PetroChina, the largest oil and petrochemical company in China, implemented a full competitive evaluation of licensed HDPE technologies that could meet their film, blow molding and pipe application requirements which are critical for the projected growth in this region.”

2007-11-9　CCR

50 000 t/a Ethyl Acetate Unit Starts up

On October 29th, 2007 the 50 000 t/a ethyl acetate unit in Jilin Fuel Alcohol Co., Ltd. was completed and went on stream.
 The unit uses ethanol dehydrogenation process imported from Davy of Britain, and the construction was started on April 25th, 2006.
 The ethanol dehydrogenation process is one of the advanced processes in the world and has remarkable advantages in production cost and product quality.

2007/11/12　Asia Chemical Weekly

Elion starts up 400 kt/year PVC project in Inner Mongolia

On Oct. 28, 2007, Elion (also called Yili in Chinese) Energy Chemical Company started up its first phase project of large scale PVC and caustic soda project in Dalate (達拉特), Erdos, Inner Mongolia.

With investment of USD 580 million (RMB 4.3 billion), the new started up project was started construction in April 2005. It includes a 400,000 ton/year carbide-based PVC and 400,000 ton/year ion membrane caustic soda units, which is jointly invested by Elion Resources (41%), Shanghai Huayi Group (34%) and Shenhua Group (25%).

To secure the coal and electricity supply, at the same time, the company also started up a 10 million ton/year coal mine, 4x200MW coal-power facilities, which is 49:51 jv between Elion and Shenhua.

All the new commissioned projects are the first phase of planned Cycle Economy Industry Base in Erdos. By using the coal resources, Elion Resources plans to invest around USD 4 billion (RMB 30 billion), to build a Cycle Economy Industry Base in Erdos, which includes a 10 million ton/year coal mine, 1000 MW coal-power station, 1 million ton/year PVC and 1 million caustic soda as well as 1 million ton/year cement. These projects are expected to complete by 2010.

2007/11/27 Asia Chemical Weekly

Chengxing starts construction for 600kt PTA project in Jiangyin

On Nov. 16, 2007, Jiangsu Chengxing （澄星）Industry Group started construction for its 600,000 PTA project in Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province.

The project is operated by Hangbang (Jiangyin) Petrochemical Company, which is the 85:15 jv between Chengxing and Hong Kong based Hanbang Petrochemical Company. With total investment of USD 374 million (RMB 2.77 billion), the project licensed the PTA technology from Invista, and it is expected to start up in H1 of 2010.

Chengxing is a Jiangyin based chemical company, whose business covers phosphor chemicals, polyester, fertilizer, and logistics for liquid chemicals. It is one of the largest phosphate producer and exporter in China. It also operates a 300,000 ton/year PET plant in Jiangyin.

The investors still think there is PTA shortage, particularly in East China market, where need lots of PTA import now.
Recently, Yizheng Chemical Fiber Company, a subsidiary of Sinopec, announced it will invest RMB 3.8 billion to build a new 1 million ton/year PTA project, which is planed to start construction in Jan. 2008 and is expected to be completed in 2010.

Also in Jiangyin, Hailun Chemical Company, a 50:50 jv between Sanfangxiang Group and Dragon Group, kicked off a 600 kt/a PTA project in July 2005. But the project is shelved now partly for the capitals reason.

2007-11-27 CCR

YPC Kicks off Carbon Monoxide Project

    On November 9th, 2007 Sinopec Yangzi Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (YPC) began the construction work on 330 000 t/a carbon monoxide project in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.
    With a total investment of RMB1.0 billion, the project is a major matching unit of the 500 000 t/a acetic acid project, and is due to be completed and go on stream in 2009.

 「人民網日本語版」2007年11月27日

中国は汚染事故多発期に突入　問題も顕著化

  中国政府公式サイトは26日、「国家環境保護『11-5（第11次5カ年計画:2006−2010年）』計画」（以下、『計画』と略）全文を発表した。100年にわたる先進国の工業化プロセスにおいて段階的に発生した環境問題が、中国ではすでに集中的に顕著に現われ、中国は汚染事故多発期と問題が顕著化する時期に入ったと「計画」では指摘されている。「国際金融報」が伝えた。

  「計画」の主な内容は以下の通り。

  ▽「10-5（第10次5カ年計画：2001−2005年)」環境保護計画指標は全てが実現されておらず、二酸化硫黄（SO2）排出量は2000年比27.8%増加、化学的酸素要求量（COD）は2.1%減少、10%の削減目標に至らなかった。

  ▽「10-5」期間に解決が図られた深いレベルでの環境問題の一部は、いまだブレイクスルーを得られていない。不合理な産業構造や粗放な経済成長方式は全く転換されていない。環境保護が経済発展に遅れを取っている状況も変わらない。体制の不備、構造の行き詰まり、資金投入不足、能力の低さなどの際立った問題が残されたままとなっている。法律があってもそれに依拠せず、違法行為は追及が困難で、監督管理は脆弱、法執行は怠慢で、管理監督力が不足している、などが普遍的な状況となっている。

  ▽重点業務と主要任務は、「10-5」計画で決定された主要汚染物排出抑制目標を達成することだ。汚染予防対策業務を重点項目中の最優先事項とし、都市・農村住民の飲料水安全確保を第一の任務とする。

  ▽歴史的転換をさらに促進し、長い間環境保護発展の足を引っ張ってきた制度面での障害の解決に尽力しなければならない。中央政府と地方政府の職権、政府と企業の職責にそれぞれきちんと境界線を引き、バランスある統一的で効率の高い環境監督管理体制を健全化する。

  「11-5」環境保護目標を実現するには、全国の環境保護投資が同時期GDP（国内総生産）の1.35%を占める必要があるという。

Nov 26, 2007 Reuters

Chinese pollution plan includes tougher fines

China's water and air are straining to cope with the country's industrial take-off, the government said on Monday, vowing steps to make polluters pay more for environmental damage.

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November 27, 2007 　english.gov.cn

Gov't unveils environmental protection plan

The Chinese government will invest 1.35 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) each year for the next three years in environmental protection.

The State Council, China's cabinet, publicized a belated five-year environmental protection plan for 2006 to 2010 on Monday.

"Most of the investment will go to treating water pollution," said Zou Shoumin, director of the Chinese Academy for Environmental Planning, who took part in drafting the plan.

He estimated the government would spend 640 billion yuan (85.33billion U.S. dollars) on treating water pollution, 600 billion yuan (80 billion dollars) on air pollution and 210 billion yuan (28 billion dollars) on solid waste.

In 2005, China spent 238.8 billion yuan (31.8 billion dollars) on environmental protection, accounting for 1.31 percent of that year's GDP, according to a government white paper.

The plan, only adopted by the State Council in September, sets out guidelines, major tasks and measures for the government to tackle pollution.

As part of the plan, China aims to cut its chemical oxygen demand (COD), a major index of water pollution, in 2010 by 10 percent from 2005 and sulfur dioxide emissions also by 10 percent.

By 2010, the plan says, 75 percent of China's large cities will enjoy more than 292 days of good air quality (air quality level IIor better) every year. In 2005, the percentage was 69.4.

China's air quality level II is equal to a pollution reading of between 51 and 100.

The country issued a five-year environment plan for 2001 to 2005 but the targets set were not met.

According to the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), sulfur dioxide emissions in 2005 increased by 27.8 percent over that in 2000 instead of dropping while the COD fell 2.1 percent from 2000 rather than 10 percent.

Water pollution has been worsening. Twenty-six percent of surface water can not be used for any purpose, 62 percent is not suitable for fish and 90 percent of the rivers running through cities are polluted.

"The country failed to meet the target of reducing sulfur dioxide emissions, mainly because of the unexpected increase in energy demand between 2000 and 2005," Zou said.

The energy consumption in 2005 increased by 55.2 percent from 2000 but the newly-built thermal plants did not adopt facilities to reduce the sulfur dioxide emissions while the projects to update the old ones with eco-friendly technologies did not go well, he said, adding the papermaking industry had also caused serious pollution.

"Some local governments have favored economic growth much more than environmental protection and the environment watchdog also lacks strong power to supervise them," he said.

The State Council said in its statement on the new plan that it will set up an assessment mechanism to monitor the local governments.

Every half year, the State Council will publicize a report of major pollutant discharges in all provinces and regions and launch national checkups on how local governments implement the plan in 2008 and 2010, the statement said.

"The results will be key to assessing the performance of local governments," it said.

Drinking water gets top priority in new plan
The government has made the securing of drinking water resources a top priority and plans to significantly raise fines for water polluters.

The security of drinking water and purification of key rivers and lakes, together with major pollution and emissions control and urban waste treatment measures, were highlighted in the country's 11th Five-Year (2006-10) Plan of Environmental Protection, which was officially released yesterday.

The total investment in environmental protection during the five years will cost 1.35 percent of GDP during the same period, the State Council, said yesterday in a statement on its website, www.gov.cn.

Investment will focus on treating water and air pollution, solid waste, nuclear, radioactive and agricultural waste, and capacity-building, it said.

Market instruments will also be introduced to raise funds for the big clean up.

The plan follows the principle that industrial polluters will bear the cost of any clean up, while the authorities will use tax reforms to discourage waste and pollution.

Price mechanisms that reflect the cost of treating emissions and waste will also be used.

It is estimated that more than 75 billion yuan (10.2 billion U.S. dollars) collected from pollution and emission charges under the scheme will be used to treat waste.

Another draft regulation released yesterday and aimed at addressing water pollution saw the maximum fines for individuals or companies that discharge highly toxic pollutants into drinking water resources raised by five times to 500,000 yuan, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

The State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA) also stated that those who dump industrial residue or urban waste into drinking water resources, or store solid waste or other pollutants below the highest water line along the banks or at the banks of rivers, lakes, canals and reservoirs, face a fine of up to 200,000 yuan, 20 times the current amount.

Restrictions on fines for companies held responsible for water pollution accidents will also be lifted.

Fines for such businesses will vary from 20 percent to 30 percent of the direct economic loss according to the severity of the incident.

Companies should bear all the costs for containing accidents. And those found responsible for serious water pollution will be closed, the SEPA said.