The Guangdong Provincial Department of Commerce recently released a public notice on the proposed 2026 list of provincial-level foreign trade transformation and upgrading bases, and the petrochemical industrial base in Huizhou’s Daya Bay Development Zone has been included.

The application and review process for this batch of provincial-level foreign trade transformation and upgrading bases was carried out in accordance with the “Notice of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Commerce on Launching the 2026 Provincial-Level Foreign Trade Transformation and Upgrading Base Certification Work” (Yue Shang Wu Guan Han [2026] No. 48). A total of 20 industrial bases from 9 cities across the province have entered the public notice list for proposed certification, covering multiple competitive sectors including robotics, the low-altitude economy, and new energy storage.

The Daya Bay Petrochemical Zone covers a planned area of 32.9 square kilometers, with about 28 square kilometers already developed. It is one of the seven major petrochemical industrial bases prioritized by the Chinese government—and the only one in Guangdong Province. After more than two decades of development, the zone is now home to 125 projects with a total investment of 332.4 billion yuan, boasting production capacities of 22 million tonnes per year for oil refining, 3.8 million tonnes per year for ethylene, 2.5 million tonnes per year for aromatics, and 5 million tonnes per year for PTA. These capacities account for 25%, 54%, 50%, and 68% of the provincial totals, respectively, placing the zone among the nation’s leaders in refining-chemical integration. The zone has developed competitive industrial chains in C2, C3, C4, aromatics, and electronic chemicals, with a circular economy linkage rate of 95% and an on-site raw material conversion rate exceeding 70%. It ranked first among China’s Top 30 Chemical Industrial Parks for six consecutive years from 2019 to 2024. In 2025, it was recognized as an Outstanding Chemical Industrial Park for Industrial Competitiveness during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. In 2026, it was rated as a Tier-1 Competitive Chemical Industrial Park and named the only Smart Chemical Industrial Park in Guangdong Province.

Reported by: YE Lisha