I have initiated an investigation into the U.S. company DuPont. In the context of China-U.S. trade competition, why has DuPont been singled out as a typical case?

III. DuPont’s Past and Present! DuPont (E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company) is a long-established multinational enterprise whose development spans over two centuries—from its origins as a gunpowder manufacturer to its current status as a global leader in science and materials technology. DuPont’s history is not merely the story of one company’s rise and fall; it epitomizes the broader evolution of America’s chemical industry—from traditional manufacturing to high-tech innovation. Key developmental stages include: 1. Origins and Early Development (1802–1902) Founding Context: In 1802—during the Jiaqing Emperor’s reign in Qing Dynasty China—French immigrant Éleuthère Irénée du Pont founded DuPont in Wilmington, Delaware, initially producing gunpowder. Government contracts—including those for the War of 1812—served as key early growth drivers. Family-Style Management: For its first century, DuPont was run by the du Pont family under a quasi-military management system. Henry du Pont consolidated the U.S. gunpowder market through industry alliances and acquisitions; in 1889, he established the U.S. Powder Trade Association, controlling two-thirds of national output. 2. Transformation and Expansion in the 20th Century (1903–2000) The 'Three Brothers' Era: After Eugene du Pont’s death in 1902, the company faced crisis. Brothers Alfred, Coleman, and Pierre took control and spearheaded DuPont’s transition from a family firm to a modern, diversified conglomerate. They acquired or merged with 64 companies, securing two-thirds of U.S. explosives resources, and founded E.I. du Pont de Nemours Powder Company. Diversification and Innovation: Booming wartime munitions orders enriched DuPont alongside the U.S. government. Post-war, it pivoted decisively into chemicals. Starting in the 1930s, it launched revolutionary materials—including nylon and Teflon—establishing leadership in polymer chemistry. Later innovations such as Kevlar and Tyvek found wide application across defense, aerospace, and healthcare. Management Reform: From the 1940s onward, DuPont progressively introduced professional managers, diminishing family control. Multiple spin-offs and restructurings followed to meet global competition. 3. Divestitures and Restructuring in the 21st Century (2000–2025) As early as 1902, DuPont had established multiple laboratories dedicated to polymer research—while, at the same time, the Qing court fled to Shaanxi Province after the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion, and later signed the Boxer Protocol before returning to Beijing. China’s strategic focus on polymer materials thus lagged behind DuPont’s by roughly 80 years. From 1917, DuPont held a 23% stake in General Motors, forging industrial synergy; by 1920, its 27% share made it GM’s de facto controller, dominating its board until antitrust divestiture in the 1950s. From 1935 onward, DuPont successively developed nylon, Teflon, and other breakthrough materials—while China was embroiled in civil war and resistance against Japan. China’s progress in this domain trailed by about 70 years. During WWII (1939–1945), DuPont secured special Boeing equity via military material supply, exerting long-term influence over Boeing’s aerospace materials R&D decisions. In the 1960s, the du Pont and Rockefeller families jointly built a chemical-finance conglomerate centered on Chase Manhattan Bank. Beginning in the 1980s, DuPont gradually exited basic chemicals and petroleum businesses, focusing instead on specialty chemicals and materials science—whereas China’s petrochemical system was only just beginning; again, China lagged by ~80 years. In 1981, DuPont acquired Continental Oil Company (Conoco) for $8 billion, subsequently controlling 12% of U.S. crude oil production via the DuPont-Conoco structure. After 2000, DuPont began spinning off traditional materials businesses and entering nutrition & health, electronic materials, and medical materials sectors—by which time China still trailed by ~20 years. In 2004, DuPont sold its textile and interior décor business—including nylon and Lycra brands—to Koch Industries (forming Invista) for $4.4 billion in cash. In 2015, it spun off its Teflon and titanium dioxide businesses into Chemours, an independent, publicly traded company. In 2017, DuPont merged with Dow Chemical to form DowDuPont, later unwound due to antitrust concerns and strategic realignment. In 2019, DowDuPont split into three independent, publicly listed companies: • Dow Inc.: Focused on materials science (e.g., plastics, coatings); market cap > $20 billion. • Corteva Agriscience: Specializing in agricultural technologies (seeds, crop protection); market cap > $40 billion. • New DuPont: Operating specialty products (e.g., electronic materials, medical devices); market cap > $25 billion. In 2021, DuPont divested its Nutrition & Biosciences business to International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF) for $7.3 billion. In 2022, it sold most of its Mobility & Materials (M&M) division—primarily engineering plastics—to Celanese for $11 billion. In 2023, DuPont sold 80.1% of its Delrin homopolymer POM business to TJC LP for $1.8 billion—a transaction representing ~80% of the global homopolymer POM market. In 2024, DuPont announced plans to spin off its Electronics business—covering semiconductor technologies and interconnect solutions—as a standalone public company, targeting completion in 2025. Meanwhile, over the past two decades, China’s domestic chemical materials industry has completed a comprehensive revival across the entire industrial chain and full product spectrum—effectively traversing, in 20 years, a path that took the U.S. chemical industry—exemplified by DuPont—roughly 80 years to complete. As of the first half of 2025, China’s high-end materials sector has achieved explosive growth, with near-total domestic substitution. The trade conflict has evolved from earlier agriculture-focused tariffs to today’s across-the-board, 34%-rate blanket tariffs—highlighting the extraordinary intensity and strategic significance of China’s five-year sprint in advanced materials. Setting aside national boundaries, while China’s chemical materials industry has rapidly closed the gap over the past two decades, it still needs to draw on DuPont’s experience in fundamental research, industrial upgrading, and global competition—ultimately transforming from a manufacturing powerhouse into an innovation-driven nation.

2026–2032 China Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Industry Market In-Depth Analysis and Investment Outlook Report

The ‘2026–2032 China Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Industry Market In-Depth Analysis and Investment Outlook Report’ (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Report’), meticulously compiled by Zhiyan Consulting’s expert team, has officially been released. Since its first publication in 2019, the Report has enjoyed six consecutive years of strong sales and has become an indispensable reference tool for enterprises seeking to understand and enter new markets and formulate strategic directions. Adopting a macro-strategic perspective grounded in national economic and industrial development, the Report thoroughly analyzes future market trends in the PPE industry, precisely identifies its growth potential, and offers forward-looking assessments of the industry’s prospects. The Report comprises 13 chapters, organized into major sections including: Industry Overview, Operational Environment, Current Industrial Status, Trade Dynamics, Regional Operations, Competitive Landscape, Key Manufacturers, Development Strategies, and Industry Trends—covering core data such as PPE manufacturers and market size. Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Overview of the Personal Protective Equipment Industry 1.1 Definition and Technical Specifications of PPE 1.2 Classification of PPE 1.2.1 Hand/Wrist Protection Equipment 1.2.2 Protective Clothing 1.2.3 Foot/Leg Protection Equipment 1.2.4 Eye/Face Protection Equipment 1.2.5 Head Protection Equipment 1.3 Application Areas of PPE 1.3.1 Construction and Manufacturing 1.3.2 Oil & Gas Industry 1.3.3 Healthcare 1.3.4 Firefighting 1.3.5 Mining 1.3.6 Food Industry 1.3.7 Others 1.4 Industrial Chain Structure of PPE 1.5 Industry Overview of PPE 1.6 PPE Industry Policies 1.7 PPE Industry Dynamics Chapter 2: Production Cost Analysis of PPE 2.1 Bill of Materials (BOM) for PPE 2.2 Price Analysis of PPE BOM Components 2.3 Labor Cost Analysis for PPE Production 2.4 Depreciation Cost Analysis for PPE Production 2.5 Production Cost Structure Analysis for PPE 2.6 Manufacturing Process Analysis for PPE 2.7 China’s PPE Prices, Costs, and Gross Margins (2021–2025) Chapter 3: Technical Data and Production Base Analysis of China’s PPE Industry 3.1 Capacity and Commissioning Timelines of Chinese PPE Enterprises (2025) 3.2 Major Production Bases and Capacity Distribution of Chinese PPE Enterprises (2025) 3.3 R&D Status and Technology Sources of Major Chinese PPE Enterprises (2025) 3.4 Raw Material Sourcing Distribution of Major Chinese PPE Enterprises (2025)—including suppliers and their respective shares Chapter 4: Output Analysis of China’s PPE Industry by Region, Specification, and Application (2021–2025) 4.1 Regional (Provincial-Level) Output Distribution of China’s PPE Industry (2021–2025) 4.2 Output Distribution of China’s PPE by Specification (2021–2025) 4.3 Sales Distribution of China’s PPE by Application (2021–2025) 4.4 Price Analysis of Major Chinese PPE Enterprises (2025) 4.5 Comprehensive Analysis of China’s PPE Industry (2021–2025): Capacity, Output (Domestic Production), Imports, Exports, Domestic Sales Volume, Prices, Costs, Revenue, and Gross Margin

DuPont Discloses $90,000 Lobbying Activity on Defense and PPE Imports

Oct 15, 2026

DuPont De Nemours Inc. reported $90,000 in Q3 2026 lobbying spend focused on defense appropriations and PPE import investigations, accompanied by updates on insider trading and institutional holdings.

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2026-04-02

DuPont completes aramids divestiture

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DuPont de Nemours Inc. Stock Outperforms Competitors on Strong Trading Day

2026-04-09

DuPont Expands Water Solutions With Inge UF Integrated Pre-Filter Modules

2026-04-09

DuPont Expands FilmTec™ Fortilife™ Portfolio for Advanced ZLD/MLD and Resource Recovery Applications

2026-04-14

DuPont Launches AmberChrom XT SL Chromatography Resins