China has become the world's largest engineering plastics importer as its automobile and telecommunication industries consume a growing amount of engineering plastics.

Statistics show the country has imported some 1.5 million tons of engineering plastics annually over the past four years. The figure is expected to increase to 1.8 million tons next year, according to sources from the First China International Exhibition on Engineering Plastics which opened in Shanghai on December 1.

Engineering plastics are high technology chemical materials widely used in industry, agriculture, national defense and in the daily lives of the Chinese people. The plastics play an increasingly important role in the manufacture of automobiles, electronics, construction, and post and telecommunications.

Yang Weicai, chairman of the China Engineering Plastics Industry Association, said that China's current domestic production cannot meet the growing demand for the material.

The five-day exhibition aims to promote technology and trading of equipment and related products. The latest engineering plastics technologies, processing equipment are on display as well as analysis and testing apparatus from home and abroad.

Chemicals giants such as Du Pont and BASF are attending the Exhibition.