China MX demand growth to slow from 2026 as downstream expansion decelerates

From 2026 to 2030, the growth rate of new capacity in China's MX downstream sectors will slow significantly, accompanied by a fundamental shift in demand structure. The 8.50 million t/y of new PX capacity will be insufficient to fully offset a massive contraction of 33.64 million tonnes in gasoline consumption, leading to an overall weakening in downstream demand pull for MX.

The development of China's mixed xylenes (MX) downstream industries is set to enter a new phase marked by slower growth and structural divergence from 2026 to 2030. The core driver of market demand is shifting from gasoline blending to chemical products, with para-xylene (PX) emerging as the dominant and single engine for future