碱氯工業（以下簡稱碱業）是以鹽為起點的基本化學工業，臺灣鹽產豐富，自日月潭水力發電廠建設以後，電力充沛；在1930年代末期，臺灣成為日本南進的跳板以及一些戰略物資的補給站，鹽業乃在「國家」和財閥的合作之下，轉型成為碱氯工業。戰爭末期，這些生產事業遭受嚴重的破壞。戰後來臺接收的資源委員會人士和臺灣省行政長官公署，權衡本身利害後，取得協調，聯合接收臺灣碱業公司。當時，其產品以中國大陸（尤其是工業發達的上海地區）為主要市場，直到喪失大陸市場後，中央政府才重新思考在臺灣擴大內需的可能性。此情況在1950年代初期有所變化，首先，1950年韓戰的爆發和美援的恢復，促進臺灣工商業的發展，增加燒碱的內需市場；其次，味精的生產方法改進，導致鹽酸需求劇增，必須大量利用氯氣。再者，臺灣紙業利用甘蔗渣製造紙漿，亦需要氯氣。因此臺碱公司燒碱產量大增，在1964年達到巔峰。並且，逐漸把創新技術的下游產業交給民營的臺灣塑膠工業股份有限公司去經營，結果其發展超越預期，建立了臺灣的「塑膠王國」。

The soda industry of Taiwan began with the military needs in the late period of Japanese rule. These facilities were almost completely destroyed by bombs during World War II. The Chinese government took over the soda industry in Taiwan and set up the national Soda Industry Company after the War. The products of the soda industry, such as sodium, caustic soda, etc., are used in the manufacture of soap, paper, textile, seasoning and aluminum. After 1949, Taiwan's soda industry lost its main market, Shanghai, and had to make an effort to increase the domestic market. Taiwan's industry began to grow in the 1950's because of the Korean War and American Aid. As a result, the demand for caustic soda increased quickly. The Soda Industry Company in Taiwan began to make a profit. The Company not only acquired technology from developed countries, but expanded equipment. Due to world overproduction of caustic soda in 1964, and because the quality and prices of imported caustic soda were better than the products of the Soda Industry Company in Taiwan, the latter had to change its management direction. This article will make full use of archives to research the transformation of the soda industry in Taiwan. First, it will inquire into the background of the soda industry during the Japanese rule period. Then, after investigating the difficult conditions under which the Chinese government had to take over these factories in 1945, it will analyze the post-war development process of the soda industry, which was an important element of Taiwan's economy.