Participants at the Asia Petrochemical Industry Conference (APIC) expect chronic oversupply conditions hurting the chemical sector will start to rebalance by 2028-2030.

- China overcapacity, trade war is causing an unprecedented crisis

- Polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), paraxylene (PX) in structural oversupply

- Hopes for rebalancing by 2028-2030 as plants shut down, capacity build slows

- Demand is flat but India is the exception – a beacon of growth for the region

- Taiwan, Thailand struggle to compete against China, Middle East

- Trade war will cause “cataclysmic” changes in global trade

- Sustainability still seen as a growth driver, especially for polymers

- Growing reliance on US ethane for chemical production in Asia

"The Salt and the Cure" by Rukman Ragas + "Sensor Ghosts" by Deborah L. Davitt