Chinese policy stays in lane
Party set-piece points to pursuit of balance between economic expansion and competing priorities such as risk management and zero-Covid
China’s landmark national congress in Beijing in October provided clues about the country’s energy strategy, with President Xi Jinping stressing a continuation of current policies that will likely mean subdued demand for the next few months. Xi’s nearly two-hour speech kicked off the week-long meeting—which is held once every five years—while the party also released a 70-page report that praised its accomplishments over the previous decade and set goals for the next five years. Policy continuity was one of the main takeaways from the report, along with various topics covered by Xi’s speech that ranged from foreign policy to the party’s internal governance. With Xi now entering his third term

Also in this section
7 February 2025
The history of tin production and prices offers a preview of the future oil market. If correct, $35/bl could become the new normal for crude for several years without further OPEC+ intervention
7 February 2025
Changing oil demand patterns mean different downstream economics amid switch to naphtha, LPG and other petrochemicals
6 February 2025
Policy initiatives will take time to reverse declining output, and restoring investor confidence is far from certain
6 February 2025
This premier event is poised to address the evolving technology and investment demands of North America’s thriving chemical and pharmaceutical sectors