China expands carbon fiber capacity with three world-class production lines

China has launched three of the world's largest carbon fiber production lines in Lianyungang, east China's Jiangsu Province, marking a breakthrough in high‑end materials manufacturing and a milestone in the nation's drive for industrial upgrading.

The new facilities, operated by China National Building Material Group Co., cover general‑purpose, high‑strength and high‑modulus carbon fiber products.

The three newly-launched lines, each among the largest globally, feature distinct strengths.

A 5,000-tonne large-tow line, using proprietary dry-wet spinning, produces wind-power materials at lower cost and boosts large-scale manufacturing.

A 1,000-tonne T1100 line, the world's first with a four-meter width, targets high-end applications such as aerospace and low-altitude aircraft.

A 600-tonne high-modulus line serves advanced equipment and 3C electronics.

Together, the three lines strengthen China's carbon fiber supply chain. The large‑tow line makes wind power and electric vehicles lighter and cheaper, the T1100 line breaks foreign monopolies and secures aerospace supply chains, and the high‑modulus line opens new markets for advanced manufacturing.

"The three lines mainly produce high-end carbon fiber products. With just one-fifth the weight of steel but eight times the strength, they can reduce the weight of aerospace and low-altitude aircraft by about 20 percent," said Jin Liang, head of a 30,000-tonne carbon fiber production base in Lianyungang under China National Building Material Group Co.

The launch of the three top-tier lines fills gaps in domestic high-end carbon fiber capacity, completes the full self-sufficiency chain across all product categories, and shifts the industry from scale-driven rivalry to technology-led, high-end growth.

"We have noticed a remarkable shift in China's carbon fiber industry toward high-end products in 2026, better meeting the market demands of aerospace, low-altitude economy and new energy sectors. The nation's carbon fiber capacity is expected to exceed 200,000 tonnes in 2026, with output projected to surpass 100,000 tonnes," said Zhang Hui, secretary-general of the carbon fiber composite materials branch of the Chinese Society for Composite Materials.

China expands carbon fiber capacity with three world-class production lines

A moving on-stage performance featuring a guard of honor of modern military personnel alongside actors portraying Red Army soldiers and a video montage of some of China's key historical milestones showcased the enduring spirit of the Long March during a televised gala commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's victory in the epic military campaign on Thursday.

The Long March (1934-1936) was a defining military maneuver undertaken by the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, symbolizing endurance and perseverance which ultimately paved the way for the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

Titled "Ode to the Long March," the five-part gala broadcast by the China Media Group (CMG) centers on key historical junctures of the arduous 12,500-kilometer journey.

As the Gala neared its conclusion, the segment entitled "From Victory to Victory" highlighted a series of historical milestones spanning from 1945 –- from the victory of the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War -- to the present day, vividly depicting the enduring Long March spirit that serves as a source of inspiration for China to march toward its goals with confidence, unity and resolve.

Integrating music, dance, drama, and folk art, the performances at the Gala vividly recall the immense hardships the Red Army endured and showcase the firm beliefs held by the Communist Party of China (CPC), even in the face of sacrifice and suffering.

The broadcast followed a commemorative meeting held earlier on Thursday at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered an important speech.

The Long March began in October 1934, when 86,000 poorly armed soldiers began a grueling 12,500-kilometer journey across some of the country's harshest terrain to establish a new revolutionary base. The march concluded in October 1936 when three main Red Army forces converged in northwestern China.

Military formations, montage of historical milestones showcase enduring spirit of Long March

Military formations, montage of historical milestones showcase enduring spirit of Long March