China has achieved a key technological breakthrough in wet-process T1000-grade high-performance carbon fiber and realized mass production in Shanghai, Sinopec said on June 2. The 12K small-tow product is expected to provide core material support for high-end fields, including aerospace, embodied intelligence and the low-altitude economy. Carbon fiber has a density of less than one-fourth that of steel, yet it's seven to nine times stronger. It also offers corrosion and fatigue resistance. China's carbon fiber market is projected to exceed 60 billion yuan (around $8.8 billion) by 2030.