July 17, 2025 –
ExxonMobil has officially launched operations at its landmark $10 billion Huizhou ethylene complex in Guangdong province, marking a new era for China’s petrochemical sector. The wholly foreign-owned facility represents both the first major U.S.-funded chemical project in China and the pioneering foreign-invested petrochemical development in the Greater Bay Area.
AsiaMB’s industry analysts highlight the project’s game-changing production capabilities: a 1.6 million-ton flexible feed steam cracker, two 1.2 million-ton high-performance LLDPE units, the world’s largest single-train 500,000-ton LDPE facility, and two 950,000-ton specialized polypropylene lines. This advanced infrastructure positions China to dramatically reduce import dependence on metallocene polyethylene and premium polypropylene grades.
“The speed of execution has been extraordinary,” commented Dr. Chen Wei, AsiaMB’s senior petrochemicals consultant. “From virtual groundbreaking in 2020 to full operation in just over three years, this project sets new benchmarks for complex chemical construction.”
As the fundamental building block of modern chemistry, ethylene production capacity directly impacts downstream specialty manufacturing. The Huizhou complex’s cutting-edge technology portfolio promises to accelerate Guangdong’s transition toward high-value chemical products while addressing critical supply gaps in China’s advanced polymer market.
“This investment signals China’s maturing openness in strategic industries,” noted AsiaMB’s lead researcher. “Beyond technology transfer, the project creates a blueprint for how foreign expertise can catalyze regional industrial upgrading – particularly in sophisticated polyolefin production where China still faces capability gaps.”
The facility’s successful commissioning comes as China seeks to balance petrochemical self-sufficiency with environmental commitments, with industry watchers anticipating the Huizhou model may inform future foreign participation in China’s chemical sector modernization.