Despite worries to the contrary, China’s imports in the first half of 2012 were up sharply versus the prior year for a number of chemicals and polymers. 

China’s imports June 2012 YTD were up 20% to 38% versus the same period in 2011 for MEG, DEG, EDC, ethylene monomer, propylene monomer, LDPE and EVA. Benzene imports soared by 205%. Other products, with smaller gains , up 5% to 12%, included: polycarbonates, SAN, ethylene copolymers, HDPE, propylene copolymers and styrene monomer.

Not all was positive, however. There were small declines, down 2% to 3%, on imports of polyacetals, polypropylene and polystyrene, and steeper drops for ABS, LLDPE, uncompounded PVC, down 8% to 13%, and, especially, VCM, down 43%.