A personal account of Daqing's transformation from an oil industry pioneer to a hub for advanced manufacturing in northern China.
In childhood, hometown was a frequent theme in school compositions. Now, writing about it again after more than a decade away, the local accent may have faded, but the relentless nodding donkeys, towering smokestacks against the sky, and swirling snow remain, forming the most familiar landscape of home.
Daqing is intrinsically linked to the name "Iron Man" Wang Jinxi, a household figure for every resident. As a first-generation drilling worker in New China, Wang vowed to "sacrifice twenty years of my life if needed to secure the big oil field." During the 1960 oil campaign, he led his team to move a drill rig without cranes through sheer physical effort over three days and nights. When a well blowout threatened the operation, Wang, despite a leg injury, jumped into a slurry pit and mixed cement with his body for over three hours, successfully controlling the blowout but suffering severe chemical burns. A local elder, seeing his tireless dedication, exclaimed, "Captain Wang is truly a man of iron!" Thus, his legendary title spread throughout the oil fields.
From 1960 to 1963, Daqing produced 11.662 million tons of crude oil, accounting for 51.3% of the nation's total output. In December 1963, Premier Zhou Enlai announced to the National People's Congress that China had achieved basic self-sufficiency in petroleum. By 1964, Chairman Mao called for the nation to "Learn from Daqing in industry," establishing it as a national industrial model.
Key production phases include: - Rapid growth (1960-1963): Daqing's output reached 4.393 million tons by 1963, representing 67.8% of national production. By 1966, annual output hit 10.6 million tons, accounting for 72.9% of the country's total. - High stable production (1976-2002): Annual output surpassed 50 million tons in 1976 and remained above that level for 27 consecutive years, a global record for similar oil fields. - Sustained production (2003-2014): Output stabilized above 40 million tons annually for 12 years. - Adjusted production (2015-2020): Daqing implemented its first production cut in 2015, reducing output to around 30 million tons.
Daqing's transformation extends beyond oil extraction to becoming a strong chemical industry base. Initially reliant on crude oil production with limited downstream value, the city has shifted toward integrated refining and chemical processing. Key projects, including a ten-million-ton refining facility, have enhanced processing capacity, promoting the conversion of more crude oil into basic chemical materials like olefins and aromatics. This has optimized the oil-to-chemicals ratio and significantly increased the chemical sector's share.
Today, Daqing has evolved into a modern petrochemical base with substantial refining and ethylene production capabilities, fostering a synergistic development model between energy extraction and green chemicals. This transition toward innovation-driven growth enhances resource efficiency, product quality, and economic resilience, offering a replicable model for resource-based urban revitalization.
To address the challenges of resource-dependent urban transition, Daqing proactively engaged with the global automotive industry, successfully attracting Volvo's manufacturing operations. The automotive sector has since become a vital pillar of the local economy. In 2010, when Geely acquired Volvo amid funding challenges, Daqing's state capital contributed 3 billion yuan, playing a critical strategic role. The Volvo Daqing plant, launched in September 2013, produces the S90 and S60 models and serves as the exclusive global manufacturing base for the S90. By 2025, the facility had produced over 560,000 vehicles, generating nearly 120 billion yuan in output value and contributing over 11 billion yuan in total tax revenue.
In summary, as a key industrial region historically known as the "eldest son of the republic," Northeast China has been the birthplace of many foundational industries, from steel and petroleum to automotive and equipment manufacturing. However, the dominance of traditional, resource-intensive sectors has limited high-skilled employment opportunities, leading to significant population outflow, particularly among the youth. As someone who has lived away, it is heartening to witness Daqing's ongoing transformation. While the pace of oil extraction may be slowing, advanced refining technologies and a burgeoning automotive manufacturing sector are emerging as new engines of growth for this historic oil city.