"In allowing petrochemical projects to operate here, we adopt the strictest admission standards, benchmarking against advanced international practices. We don't just look at its output value," Chen says. "The emissions level is tied to incentive policies, and this is indeed a remarkable innovation and breakthrough within the industry."

The zone's Environment Assessment Office can veto any project if any environmental problem is detected, regardless of how valuable and beneficial the project is. Chen says several projects have failed to get the nod so far.

"Although environmental protection and low-carbon environmental requirements pose challenges to petrochemical enterprises, they also present opportunities for upgrading industry structure and management practices," says Du Xi, assistant general manager of Hengli Petrochemical (Huizhou) Co - a subsidiary of China's private refining and chemical giant, Hengli Petrochemical. "We've taken green and environmental considerations into account in technology research and production-line construction."

The Huizhou company has also developed novel technology, using waste heat and exhaust gases to generate electricity. "The electricity generated, besides meeting our needs, is also a surplus for the external power grid," Du says.

Luo Haodong, general manager of the Huizhou project of Clariant - a Swiss specialty chemical company - says they aim to cut direct and indirect greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent by 2030, compared with 2019.

"China is a vital production and growth market for us. We aim to raise the number of our 'Made in China for China' products to 50 percent by next year. Our manufacturing expansion and emissions reduction efforts at the Daya Bay site - a strategic investment location - demonstrate our commitment to sustainable development. For instance, we implement our companywide energy efficiency program, eWATCH, to cut emissions," Luo says. "Additionally, our site at Daya Bay uses 100 percent green electricity with a trackable Green Electricity Certificate and combined heat and power steam generated from natural gas, which replaces burning coal. The steam generated from natural gas would lead to a 40 percent decrease in carbon dioxide emissions."

In addition to Clariant's, many other projects in the industrial park are expanding. But the land that has been approved for enterprises in the chemical industry is at a premium. To address the issue, the petrochemical zone is working with the Huizhou New Material Industrial Park, which is about 10 km from the Daya Bay Petrochemical Zone, to form a collaborative development model that would encompass the entire industry chain.

Companies in the new material base can utilize raw materials produced in the Daya Bay Petrochemical Zone to make innovative products. The new project has so far launched 25 industrial projects with total investments of about 37.3 billion yuan. An annual output value of approximately 72.3 billion yuan is expected at full production capacity.