Tariffs Cut to 15%, U.S.-Taiwan Trade Deal Finalized! German Government Orders Domo Chemicals to Maintain Plant Operations

International News Highlights:

Material News - Tariffs Slashed to Below 15%! U.S. Reaches Trade Deal with Chinese Taipei

Automotive News - BASF Coatings Color Report: Green and Gray Redefine 2025 Automotive Color Landscape

Medical News - $14.5 Billion! Another Major Acquisition by Global Medical Giant

Packaging News - Avantium and Packamama Sign Off-Take Agreement for Bio-based PEF Capacity, Driving Sustainable Wine Packaging

Macro News - MFA: China to Inject More Stability and Positive Energy into World Economy

Price Information - RMB/USD Central Parity Rate at 7.0078, Down 14 Pips

Below are the Details of International News:

Tariffs Slashed to Below 15%! U.S. Reaches Trade Deal with Chinese Taipei

On January 15, 2026, the United States announced the conclusion of a trade agreement with Chinese Taipei. Under the agreement, the U.S. will reduce the "reciprocal tariff" on most goods exported from Chinese Taipei from 20% to 15%, with the total tariff capped at 15%, meaning no Most-Favored-Nation (MFN) tariff will be imposed in addition. For products with an MFN tariff rate of 15% or higher in the first column, the additional tariff rate will be 0%. For goods with an MFN tariff rate of less than 15% in the first column, the additional tariff rate will be 15% minus the rate in the first column. The combined tariff rate shall not exceed 15%, which is on par with the tariff levels applied by the United States to allies such as the European Union, Japan, and South Korea.

Government Intervention! Domo Chemicals Ordered to Maintain Operations at German Plant

Plastmatch learned on January 16 that despite ongoing bankruptcy proceedings and a shortage of liquidity, Domo Chemicals' production base in Germany has been ordered to continue operations. This directive was issued by the authorities of Saxony-Anhalt, which stated that given the current weather conditions, a safe shutdown of the Leuna production base is not feasible. To prevent harm to the public and the environment, the state government has ordered the launch of an alternative measure known as "Ersatzvornahme" to mitigate various risks that could arise from an unregulated shutdown of the production lines.

Grupa Azoty Subsidiary Files €2.98 Billion Claim Against South Korean Contractor Over PDH and PP Project

Recently, Grupa Azoty announced that its polyolefin subsidiary has filed a statement of claim with the Vienna International Arbitral Centre (VIAC) on the same day. The claim stems from an ongoing dispute over the performance of a contract signed on May 11, 2019, which pertains to the implementation of Grupa Azoty's Propane Dehydrogenation (PDH) and Polypropylene (PP) project in Police, Poland.

Grupa Azoty stated that the total claim amounts to €2.98 billion, primarily based on the contractor's "failure to fulfill contractual obligations leading to the project's non-completion," including liquidated damages for project delays and compensation for the termination of the contract by Grupa Azoty Polyolefins due to the contractor's liability. It also demands compensation for losses incurred by Grupa Azoty Polyolefins as a result of the contractor's "improper performance," and requires Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. of South Korea to repair project defects, replace problematic equipment and materials, or provide products that meet standards.

Andrzej Skolmowski, Chairman of the Management Board of Grupa Azoty, said: "We have always maintained that the project failed to be completed on schedule, and the reason lies with the contractor, Hyundai Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd. of South Korea. As a result, the company has suffered significant economic losses. Given the contractor's failure to perform the contract, initiating arbitration has become a necessary step."

Grupa Azoty's $1.8 billion PDH and PP project has been plagued by construction delays and commissioning issues, and was originally scheduled for completion in 2022. Grupa Azoty officially announced the start of production in January 2024, but the plant has since encountered various commissioning and other operational failures.

BASF Coatings Color Report: Green and Gray Redefine 2025 Automotive Color Landscape

The latest "BASF Automotive OEM Color Report 2025" released by BASF's Coatings division analyzes that the global automotive color landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with consumers continuing to move away from traditional color preferences, and personalized and nature-inspired aesthetics becoming mainstream trends. Among them, green is emerging as the most prominent color globally, steadily rising to rank among the top three colors alongside red and blue. Meanwhile, red and blue, which have long dominated the market as mainstream colors, are facing a year-on-year decline. In 2025, the market share of blue has dropped by 1%, while red has experienced a more significant decline, accounting for only 3% of the total market color share, indicating that traditional standard colors are clearly exiting the market.

$14.5 Billion! Another Major Acquisition by Global Medical Giant

On January 15, 2026, Boston Scientific announced that it has reached a definitive agreement to acquire Penumbra at a price of $374 per share, corresponding to an enterprise value of approximately $14.5 billion. The transaction will be completed through a combination of cash and stock, with the cash component expected to account for approximately 73% and the stock component for the remaining portion.

Overseas Macro Market Information:

MFA: China to Inject More Stability and Positive Energy into World Economy

Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun hosted a regular press conference. When asked whether he could provide information on Vice Premier He Lifeng's attendance at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2026 and China's expectations for the meeting, Guo Jiakun stated that the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting is an important platform for discussing global economic trends and promoting cooperative development, known as the "weather vane of the world economy." Vice Premier He Lifeng will deliver a speech at the opening plenary session of the forum.

U.S. Reportedly Still Consulting on "Timing of Strike" Against Iran

According to multiple sources from the United States, Israel, and Arab countries, U.S. President Donald Trump has postponed the decision on whether to launch military strikes against Iran, and the White House is conducting consultations internally and with allies regarding the timing of the strikes. Additionally, Israel has expressed reservations about the strikes over the past 48 hours. It is reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with Trump on the 14th, hoping that the U.S. would postpone the action to allow Israel more time to prepare for potential retaliatory actions by Iran. Nevertheless, Iran temporarily closed its national airspace on the 15th. Reports suggest that the U.S.'s current public statements may be intended to create strategic uncertainty and disrupt Iran's judgment.

Morgan Stanley's Xing Ziqiang: Fiscal Expansion Expected to Be More Moderate

On January 16, the "2026 Bond Market Annual Forum," co-hosted by First Capital Securities and the National Institution for Finance and Development, and organized by the Shenzhen First Capital Securities Bond Research Institute, was held in Beijing. Xing Ziqiang, Chief China Economist at Morgan Stanley, stated that fiscal expansion is expected to be more moderate from 2026 to 2027. He believes that policies will remain supply-side oriented in 2026 and then gradually shift toward the consumption side in 2027.

U.S. Media Reveals Netanyahu Requested Trump to Delay Possible Military Strike on Iran; White House Responds

The New York Times, citing a senior U.S. official, reported on the 15th local time that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has requested U.S. President Donald Trump to postpone any potential military strike plans against Iran. The White House confirmed the call between the two sides on Wednesday (14th) the same day but did not disclose specific details of the conversation.

Political Uncertainty Weighs on Yen, Persistent Weakness Expected

The yen has come under significant pressure recently, falling to a new phase low against currencies such as the U.S. dollar, euro, and RMB. Analysts believe that this is mainly due to news that Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi may dissolve the House of Representatives and hold an early general election. The market is also concerned that this move may exacerbate Japan's fiscal risks, leading to a sell-off in the Japanese bond market.

Price Information:

The RMB/USD central parity rate was set at 7.0078, down 14 pips; the previous trading day's central parity was 7.0064, the previous trading day's official closing price was 6.9698, and the previous night session closed at 6.9680.

Upstream Raw Material USD Market Prices:

CFR Northeast Asia: $725/ton; CFR Southeast Asia: $710/ton.

Northeast Asia propylene FOB Korea average to $740/ton; CFR China average to $790/ton.

North Asia refrigerated cargo CIF: propane $558-560/ton; butane $578-580/ton.

China South China refrigerated cargo CIF for early February arrival: propane $599-609/ton; butane $594-604/ton.

Taiwan refrigerated cargo CIF: propane $558-560/ton; butane $578-580/ton.

LLDPE USD Market Prices:

Film: $800/ton (CFR Xiamen); Injection: $820/ton (CFR Huangpu).

HDPE USD Market Prices:

Film: $890/ton (CFR Huangpu); Injection: $770/ton (CFR Huangpu); Blow molding: $795-840/ton (CFR Huangpu); Pipe: $1000/ton (CFR Huangpu).

LDPE USD Market Prices:

Film: $1020/ton (CFR Huangpu); Coating: $1050-1180/ton (CFR Qingdao).

PP USD Market Prices:

Injection: $800/ton (CFR Dongguan); Copolymer: $860/ton (CFR Nansha); Film: $960-990/ton (CFR Huangpu); Transparent: $1000/ton (CFR Huangpu); Pipe: $1100/ton (CFR Shanghai).