Scientific development concept guides chlor-alkali to speed up transfer

It is well-known that the Party’s report at the Communist Party Congress has made comprehensive plans for China’s reform and opening-up as well as socialist modernization. The strategy of the scientific outlook on development outlined in the report has provided clear guidance for the sustainable development of the chlor-alkali industry. The report emphasized that the scientific outlook on development is a guiding ideology the Party must adhere to for a long time. Implementing this outlook is crucial for the development of the Party and the nation’s endeavors. By focusing on ecological conservation and environmental protection, the report signifies that our Party has reached a new level in understanding the laws of sustainable economic and social development, the sustainable use of natural resources, and the principles of ecological protection. From the "four-pronged approach" to the "five-pronged approach," the report elevated ecological civilization construction to a higher strategic level, highlighting the country’s commitment to environmental protection and comprehensive resource utilization during economic growth. Additionally, the report clearly advocates for an innovation-driven development strategy, deepens reforms in the science and technology system, accelerates the establishment of a national innovation system, and aims to build a technological innovation framework centered around enterprises, guided by the market, and integrating production, research, and application. As basic raw materials, chlor-alkali products are extensively utilized across industries such as agriculture, petrochemicals, light industry, and defense, playing a critical role in these sectors. Despite China’s rapid development in the chlor-alkali sector over recent years, making it a global leader, the industry still faces persistent structural issues, resource limitations, and environmental constraints. In the coming years, the chlor-alkali industry must be guided by the spirit of innovation and focus on several key areas to promote its scientific and sustainable growth. First, optimizing regional layouts and increasing industrial concentration is essential. Guided by the scientific outlook on development, the industry should impose total control measures, curb inefficient, hasty, and disorderly expansion, encourage intensive and clustered development, and support competitive companies while phasing out outdated practices through mergers and acquisitions. This will enhance the industry’s concentration levels, improve layout rationality, and boost overall market competitiveness. The industry needs to shift from extensive development focused on simple capacity expansion to refined, high-value, resource-efficient, and environmentally friendly development. Second, promoting cleaner production and strengthening environmental and safety management is imperative. Solidly advancing technological progress across the industry, improving energy-saving and emission-reduction capabilities, and achieving industrial upgrades are necessary steps. The adoption of advanced clean production technologies, application of new energy-saving and emission-reduction equipment, and establishment of demonstration projects will drive progress. Responsible care initiatives should be expanded throughout the industry to reinforce corporate safety and environmental protection, establish stringent management systems, and improve accident prevention and disposal capabilities. Third, driving the sustainable development of the chlor-alkali industry through technological and product innovation is vital. Strengthening independent innovation, advancing industrial technological progress, and encouraging enterprises to adopt new technologies for cleaner production, energy savings, and emission reductions are essential. Developing domestic ion membranes, dry acetylene generation technology, new dry-process cement manufacturing techniques, and promoting the widespread use of low-mercury catalysts across the industry are priorities. Accelerating research on new solid mercury-free catalysts and vigorously applying cutting-edge technologies like oxygen cathode technology for caustic soda membrane electrolyzers and new chlorine manufacturing methods will form a core set of proprietary technologies. Developing high-value-added alkali- and chlorine-consuming products and refining PVC products will further expand their applications. In the coming years, China’s economic development will enter a critical strategic transition phase, and the chlor-alkali industry will transition away from merely pursuing scale expansion to entering a new era of structural adjustment and quality enhancement. Seizing this transformative opportunity, the domestic chlor-alkali industry must focus on optimizing industrial structures, improving product quality, enhancing technological innovation capabilities, and adhering to conservation, clean, and safe development. Only then can the industry achieve true scale advantages, transforming them into competitive strengths and building a green industry aligned with sustainable development goals.