The chemical fiber industry lays a foundation for the stable development and continuous innovation of the textile industry chain. It is an internationally competitive industry and plays an important role in the new material industry. In order to promote the high-quality development of the chemical fiber industry, and form a more reliable industrial chain with stronger innovative capacity, and higher added value, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on the High-quality Development of China's Chemical Fiber Industry during the 14^th Five-Year Plan Period".

I. Development goals

By the end of the "14^th Five-year Plan" period (2021-2025), the goals of China's chemical fiber industry are as follows. Firstly, increase the industrial added value of chemical fiber enterprises above designated size by 5% annually and maintain a stable proportion of chemical fiber output in the world's total. Secondly, continuously enhance the innovation capability. Improve the R&D investment to 2% of the total expenditure; boost the R&D and manufacturing capacity of high-performance fibers to meet the national strategic needs. Thirdly, achieve significant results in digital transformation. Let the digital penetration rate of enterprise operation and management and the numerical control rate of key processes all reach over 80%. Fourthly, gradually improve the green manufacturing system. Let the output of bio-based chemical fibers and degradable fiber materials increase by more than 20% annually; further develop the comprehensive utilization level and scale of waste resources. In doing so, the chemical fiber industry remains committed to cultivating a batch of flagship enterprises, so as to build a high-end, intelligent, and green modern industrial system, and a strong chemical fiber power in an all-round way.

II. Improve the innovative level of the industrial chain

1. Lay a solid foundation for innovation

Integrate the whole industrial chain including theoretical research, engineering research and development, and achievement transformation, to form a market-oriented scientific and technological innovation system with enterprises as the main body. Universities and scientific research institutes will play an important role in the innovative development, carrying out forward-looking research on fiber materials. Enhance the service capabilities of national and provincial advanced functional fiber innovation centers and the innovation capabilities of enterprise technology centers. Strengthen research on key equipment and raw materials to promote bio-based chemical fiber raw materials, coal-based chemical fiber raw material process, enhancing the safety and stability of the industrial chain.

2. Optimize the regional layout

Encourage leading companies to build integrated bases for the entire chemical fiber industry chain in Guangxi, Guizhou, Xinjiang, and other provinces in central and western China under the premise of complying with policies in terms of industrial development, energy, and environmental protection. In doing so, they can form an efficient and coordinated supply chain with neighboring countries and regions. Guide chemical fiber enterprises to participate in the multinational industrial chains and supply chains and optimize the layout of global industrial chains.

3. Cultivate high-quality enterprises

Encourage enterprises to optimize the allocation of production factors through mergers and acquisitions, and speed up the transformation and upgrading of processes and technologies. Support flagship enterprises to gather high-quality resources such as technology, brands, channels, and talents, so as to provide common technology and overall industrial chain solutions for the apparel, home textiles, and technical textile industries. Promote the integrated development of large and medium-sized enterprises, and cultivate specialized and sophisticated enterprises that produce new and unique products.

III. Promote the high-end development of new fiber materials

1. Increase the added value of conventional fibers

Realize high-quality, intelligent and green production of conventional fibers. Develop differentiated and functional fibers such as ultra-simulated fibers and spun-dyed fibers. Improve the performance and quality stability of functional fibers to expand their application fields. Promote the industrialization and high-end applications of biomedical fibers. Strengthen the quality control of the entire production process to ensure the supply of high-quality products.

Example: Efficient and flexible fiber preparation and quality improvement

(1) Upgrade the technology and equipment in terms of high-efficient and flexible fiber preparation. Make breakthroughs in in-situ polymerization of functional fibers, multi-component high-proportion copolymerization, online addition and high-efficiency flexible spinning, and direct spinning of nylon 6 melt, etc. Boost the macro-production of nanofibers and the design and preparation of intelligent fibers.

(2) Development of differentiated and functional varieties. Develop new functional polyester, high-quality chemical monomers, and functional fibers with super-simulation, flame retardant, antibacterial and antiviral, conductive, phase-changed energy storage, temperature control, photochromic, spun-dyed adsorption and separation, and biomedical properties.

(3) Research and development of key materials and auxiliary agents such as flame retardants, modifiers, masterbatches, catalysts, and finishing oil for functional fibers.

2. Improve the production and application level of high-performance fibers

High-performance fibers include carbon fiber, aramid fiber, UHMWPE fiber, polyimide fiber, polyphenylene sulfide fiber, PTFE fiber, and continuous basalt fiber. Further expand their application in aerospace, wind and photovoltaic power generation, marine engineering, environmental protection, safety protection, geotechnical construction, transportation, etc.

3. Accelerate the development of bio-based chemical fibers and degradable fiber materials

Improve the purity of bio-based chemical fiber monomers and raw materials; speed up the integration of complete sets of technologies and equipment that are stable, efficient, and low-energy to achieve large-scale and low-cost production. Tackle key technical bottlenecks about degradable aliphatic polyester fiber. Strengthen the evaluation of fiber degradable performance and encourage related applications downstream.

IV. Accelerate digital and intelligent transformation

1. Strengthen the R&D and application of intelligent equipment

Promote the application of equipment such as low-energy intelligent logistics, automatic doffing, and automatic packaging to improve the automation level and intelligent production of fibers. Accelerate the R&D and application of automatic new end forming devices and online quality monitoring systems for the false twisting machine for polyester fiber, so as to improve the intelligence level of spinning and winding equipment for polyester, spandex, and polyamide fiber.

2. Promote the digital transformation of enterprises

Encourage the application of emerging digital technologies in chemical fiber enterprises, such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing. In doing so, the digitalization level can be improved in all aspects of the industrial chain, including R&D, design, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, boosting the enterprise management capabilities via optimized organizational structure, and transparent data flow.

3. Create industrial Internet platforms

Encourage flagship enterprises to build an industrial Internet platform that integrates real-time data, applications, identification analysis, management information systems, and business intelligence to support the digital transformation of enterprises and the modernization of the industrial chain. With the help of the industrial Internet platform, the upstream and downstream enterprises can strengthen matchmakings by sharing data, so as to promote coordinated development along the entire industrial chain.

V. Promote green and low-carbon transformation

1. Promote energy-saving and low-carbon development

China will continue to encourage enterprises to readjust their energy mix, vigorously develop renewable energy such as wind power and photovoltaics, and eliminate outdated coal and electricity production capacity. Support plans are being created with clearer timetables, roadmaps, and working plans on pollution reduction and carbon emission reduction. The chemical fiber industry will promote the R&D of energy-saving and emission-reduction technologies and equipment and strengthen the technological transformation of clean production.

2. Improve the level of recycling

Realize the large-scale and low-cost production of the chemical recycling of polyester fiber, and promote the R&D and industrialization of key technologies such as regenerated nylon, regenerated polypropylene fiber, regenerated spandex, regenerated acrylic fiber, regenerated viscose, and regenerated high-performance fibers. Improve the recycling of used military uniforms, school uniforms, police uniforms, and work uniforms, and encourage relevant production enterprises to establish recycling systems.

3. Shut down outdated production facilities in accordance with laws and regulations

Accelerate the elimination of outdated production processes and equipment with high energy consumption, high water consumption, and high emissions in accordance with laws and regulations, so as to optimize the supply structure. Implement the normative conditions for the regenerated cellulose fiber (viscose) industry and the recycled chemical fiber (polyester) industry.

VI. Implement the strategy of "diversifying product variety, improving quality, and cultivating brand" for consumer goods

1. Optimizing the supply structure

Taking technology as the core and demand as the orientation, the chemical fiber industry should develop products with excellent performance and quality, providing consumers with personalized, fashionable, functional and green products. Carry out research and release of fiber trends, and promote new fiber varieties with high technical content and good market potential to downstream enterprises and consumers. Promote sustainable fibers such as regenerated chemical fibers, bio-based chemical fibers, and spun-dyed chemical fibers to guide green consumption.

2. Strengthen standard support

Accelerate the standards formulation in the field of functional, intelligent, and high-tech fibers, so as to diversify product variety, improve quality, and cultivate brands. Improve the chemical fiber standard system for the coordinated development of national standards, industry standards, group standards, and enterprise standards. Cultivate standardized talent teams and improve the standard development and testing capabilities of enterprises from fibers to fabrics, from composite materials to final products. And promote international standardization work, and mutual recognition of technologies, standards and certification systems.

3. Promote brand building

Expand the influence of China's fiber trends and sustainable fibers and enhance consumers' awareness of Chinese fibers and enterprises via the international textiles and yarn exhibitions. Encourage enterprises to establish a brand cultivation & management system to cultivate functional fiber brands and give full play to the value-added role of fiber brands in apparel, home textiles and technical textiles products.