In the China paraxylene (PX) market, no new or extended facilities started up from January to June 2024. Operation rates were at about 80.75% on average. Production volumes were at 43.49 mil mt and imported volumes were seen to be at about 4.58 mil mt until June. Meanwhile, operation rates of facilities of purified terephthalic acid (PTA), a major derivative, were high. For this reason, demand for PX was firm. Under such circumstances, sentiments of the China PX market were strong until June.

From July to December, supply is expected to increase as the maintenance season of PX facilities will be over while several facilities are scheduled to start up. No new PTA facilities are scheduled to start up. On the other hand, several PET bottle facilities are expected to start up and demand for PTA might increase. As a result, PTA makers are still expected to procure PX actively.