The petrochemical industry features capital- and technology-intensive production of basic and intermediate petrochemicals from petroleum and natural gas for use as materials to make synthetic fiber, synthetic resin, synthetic rubber and specialty chemicals.
Taiwan's petrochemical industry now mainly comprises two manufacturing systems, one led by the state-run Chinese Petroleum Corp. (CPC) in the Kaohsiung area, and the other headed by the Formosa Plastics Group (FPG) in the offshore Mailiao Industrial Zone, Yunlin County. It seems that the FPG system has surpassed the CPC system in terms of the production of ethylene.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs has mapped out strategies for developing the petrochemical industry, seeking to achieve a balanced development of both systems and hoping that a healthy competition between them can benefit all nationals. |