China's Xinjiang Taraxacum Kok‑Saghyz Breakthrough Could Cut Southeast Asian Rubber Dependence

Chinese scientists in Xinjiang have successfully cultivated the rubber dandelion Taraxacum kok‑saghyz, extracting natural rubber from its roots. In a July 2026 trial the team harvested one tonne of dry roots from a 1.3‑hectare field and extracted about 40 kg of latex. The plant’s latex is comparable to, and in some respects superior to, synthetic rubber, offering durability and temperature‑resistance for products such as tires, cables, medical gloves, aerospace seals and footwear.

China, the world’s largest consumer of natural rubber, used roughly 7 million tonnes in 2025 but domestic output satisfies less than 20 % of that demand, making the country heavily dependent on imports—over 70 % of global natural rubber comes from Southeast Asia. The new source could therefore reduce China’s reliance on Southeast Asian rubber supplies and strengthen its strategic autonomy in key industrial sectors.