China remains the undisputed leader in the global plastics industry. It leads in production, trade and policy shift that have a reverberating effect across the global stage. As the world’s largest producer and exporter of plastic materials, China has experienced significant growth in recent decades. Plastics have become an indispensable material across industries whether it’s packaging or automotive components. Between 2014 and 2019, the country’s share of global plastic production surged from 26% to 31%. China’s influence can be well felt when we look at its plastic trade. In the past decade, we’ve seen Chinese exports of plastic products more than double, surpassing 14 million metric tons in 2019. The East Asia and Pacific region absorbs a significant portion of these exports, followed by North America and Europe. Meanwhile, China also remains a major importer of plastic and rubber products, with annual import values consistently ranging between $75 billion and $94 billion since 2010. Major exporters to China include East Asia, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), and Europe. But with this overwhelming success come some major challenges for China’s plastic industry. The current rate of production has led to an increasing accumulation of plastic waste. In 2019 alone, the country generated over 25 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste, which came to place immense pressure on its waste management infrastructure. This was a situation that necessitated immediate action from the Chinese government, which quickly implemented new policies under the Made in China 2025 plan. One of the most significant shifts in China’s plastic policy was the implementation of a plastic waste import ban in 2017. Previously, China served as the world’s primary destination for plastic waste imports, receiving massive shipments from developed nations under the pretext of recycling. However, the ban drastically reduced China’s intake of foreign plastic waste.