In 2019, for example, China’s volume of polyethylene imports was up 18.83 per cent year-on-year. China imports polyethylene mainly from the Middle East and Asia. Among them, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, South Korea and India are at the top of the list. Imports from Iran account for 15.34 per cent of total imports. Imports from South Korea account for 7.25 per cent of total imports.

COVID-19 outbreak has triggered panic in various industries. Crude oil has plunged and most chemical products have entered a downward trend. If the coronavirus is controlled, it is good news for the polyethylene market. Supply may return to normal levels and downstream demand can recover. Market sentiment and the market fundamentals can also improve. Most China's polyethylene downstream plastic products still rely on exports, and the development of the overseas coronavirus has a greater impact on the digestion of downstream products. In addition, there would be more new startups in China in the next few years, and the overall supply would not be significantly reduced.

Polyethylene is the most popular plastic in the world. This is the polymer that makes grocery bags, shampoo bottles, children's toys, and even bullet proof vests. For such a versatile material, it has a very simple structure, the simplest of all commercial polymers.