On January 11, the Industrial Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission organized a symposium on energy conservation and carbon reduction in key industries in Beijing where attendees held exchanges and discussions around the preliminary draft of the Notice on the Release of the Benchmark and Basic Levels of Energy Efficiency in Key Industries (2023) (Draft for Comments) (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice"). Among those participants were some major associations such as the CPCIF, CCAIA, CNFA, NCIA, CRIA and the NPCPI. Zhang Wenlei, President of CCAIA, and Wang Li, Director of the Research Department, attended the meeting. While Gong Zhenyu, Deputy Director of the Industrial Development Department of the National Development and Reform Commission, presided over the meeting, Dai Fei, Director of the Petrochemical Department, introduced the background and significance of the revision of the Notice. The 2023 Notice added ethylene glycol, urea, polyvinyl chloride, titanium dioxide, purified terephthalic acid among other fields on the basis of energy efficiency benchmark and basic levels in the original 25 key areas. The representatives at the meeting fully exchanged and discussed the energy efficiency benchmark and basic level limits of their respective industries, and the connection between relevant policies, and put forward suggestions. In concluding remarks, Deputy Director Gong Zhenyu said that he would fully consider the relevant suggestions put forward by these industry associations and would formulate the benchmark and basic level limits in key areas according to the actual situation and development expectations of the industry. At the same time, he hoped that these industry associations would make relevant policies known to the public through various ways to jointly guide and promote the transformation and upgrading of energy conservation and carbon reduction in the industry.