China's chemical industry sees faster Q1 value added growth

BEIJING, May 05 (Xinhua): China's chemical sector saw faster value-added growth in the first quarter, official data showed.

The value added for the Chinese chemical industry grew 5.0 per cent year on year in the first three months, 2.1 per centage points faster than the same period 2018, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

Output of ethylene reached 5.06 million tonnes in the first quarter, up 8.4 per cent year on year. Fertilizer output totaled 13.31 million tonnes, up 2.4 per cent year on year.

The prices of fertiliser and calcium carbide in March edged up from the previous month, while soda fell.

Meanwhile, China's natural gas apparent consumption saw steady growth in the first quarter of 2019 amid the country's efforts to fight against air pollution.

Apparent consumption of natural gas rose 11.6 per cent year on year to 77 billion cubic meters in the first quarter, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

China's natural gas consumption totaled 280.3 billion cubic meters in 2018, a robust growth of 18.1 per cent from a year ago, NDRC data showed.

China has been promoting efficient, large-scale use of natural gas in sectors including industrial fuel, gas-fired power and transportation. According to a three-year action plan on air pollution control released in 2018, China will boost the share of natural gas in its total primary energy consumption to 10 per cent by 2020.