China's bamboo industry thrives as eco-friendly plastic alternative

China has preliminarily established a comprehensive industrial system for promoting bamboo as a substitute for plastic, featuring a complete product range and growing economic significance, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration.

Following consistent expansion, the country's bamboo industry has seen its annual output value exceed 520 billion yuan ($74.8 billion), with product variety surpassing 15,000, the administration noted in a media release on Tuesday.

Over the past three years, under a dedicated action plan, systematic measures have been implemented to foster industrial clusters and optimize the sector's ecosystem, it said.

The release noted robust preferential policies from government, including the allocation of over 900 million yuan to support relevant industries.

A specialized standard system covering nine categories and 140 items has been established, with several international standards for bamboo products initiated or released, it added.

Thanks to these efforts, the number of bamboo processing enterprises in the country has grown to over 10,000, employing nearly 29 million workers across its industrial chain, the administration revealed.

Ten counties in the country now boast bamboo industries with annual output exceeding 10 billion yuan.

According to the administration, the country has nearly 8 million hectares of bamboo forests, producing approximately 150 million metric tons annually.

The administration has pledged a series of measures to further boost the development of the bamboo processing industry during the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-30) period, including strengthened preferential policies to tap the potential of the bamboo processing industry in leveraging circular economy development.

Intensified efforts will also be made to improve the relevant standard system and deepen technological innovation to enhance support for the industry's growth.