China energy supply faces ‘no problems’ despite Australian coal ban, Myanmar conflict
- Chinese coal imports fell 39.5 per cent in January and 33.7 per cent in February this year, compared to the same period a year ago
- With a ban on Australian coal, China has turned to imports from Indonesia, Russia and South Africa, while ramping up domestic production
China is not facing a shortage in energy supply this year despite an ongoing ban on Australian coal, a key source of power for the world’s second largest economy, the National Energy Administration (NEA) said on Tuesday.
“No matter what the situation, with the support of local governments and close cooperation with a large number of enterprises, there should be no problems with energy supply,” said NEA director Zhang Jianhua on Tuesday when asked about the impact of the Australian coal ban.
His comments came as Chinese coal imports fell 39.5 per cent in January and 33.7 per cent in February this year, compared to the same period a year ago, Chinese customs data showed.
In 2019, about 57 per cent of China’s thermal coal imports and 40 per cent of its coking coal, which is used in steel production, came from Australia, according to official figures.
We are very confident we have the ability to ensure all aspects of the country’s energy needs
Domestic coal production in the first two months of the year rose 25 per cent compared to the same period last year, although daily production rates fell slightly, the latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed.
“We always adhere to the open, mutually beneficial and win-win guidelines in international cooperation, and these principles are persistent and unalterable in the international coal trade,” Li Fulong, head of development and planning at the NEA, said at the press conference.