Tony Porter, IHS Chemical's vice president of Asia-Pacific operations, said at the Asian Petrochemical Industry Conference 2013 held on May 9th: “Asia has become a global olefin demand growth center, and from 2013 to 2017, global added light. Sixty-seven percent of the demand for olefins (including ethylene and propylene) will come from Asia, of which China will account for 47% of new demand."

Porter pointed out that by the end of this year, the combined production capacity of ethylene and propylene in Asia will reach 100 million tons, accounting for 39% of the total global production capacity. China's ethylene equivalent demand will increase from about 33 million tons in 2012 to 44 million tons in 2017. Of which 15 million to 16 million tons of demand will depend on imports. With the growth of China's ethylene production in the future, China's ethylene self-sufficiency rate will increase from about 50% in 2012 to 67% in 2017.