China's natural gas market enjoyed sound momentum along with strong supply and demand in 2024 as the growth rate of natural gas consumption came in higher than expected, an industrial report revealed.
In 2024, China's natural gas consumption grew by 30.5 billion cubic meters, or 7.8 percent, to 422.2 billion cubic meters, according to the report, which was released by the China National Petroleum Corporation Economics and Technology Research Institute on Tuesday.
The higher-than-expected rate bodes well for the country's efforts to transition away from coal burning as it strives to cut carbon emissions.
China maintained an increase of over 10 billion cubic meters in annual natural gas production for the eighth consecutive year, while its annual natural gas production grew by 5.7 percent to 248.8 billion cubic meters in 2024, according to the report.
The figure is expected to exceed 259 billion cubic meters in 2025, with year-on-year growth of 4.1 percent.
"Natural gas is in an era of robust development. Our annual natural gas production has been increasing from around 160 billion cubic meters in 2018 by more than14 billion cubic meters every year. This is an incredible achievement," said Lu Ruquan, director of the institute.
As production increases, the country's unified natural gas pipeline network has been continuously improved.
Last year, 3,500 kilometers of long-distance natural gas pipelines were built in China, bringing the total length of the country's such pipelines to 128,000 kilometers.
China's liquefied natural gas receiving capacity increased by 23.5 million tons per year in 2024. By the end of the year, 32 liquefied natural gas terminals had been put into operation in the country, with a total unloading capacity of 144 million tons per year.
"During the 2023-2024 heating season, we showed the capability of handling a situation with frequent extreme cold weather. The highest daily natural gas supply nationwide reached 1.569 billion cubic meters, effectively meeting residents' needs," said Han Yuzhu, deputy director of the petroleum and natural gas department at the National Energy Administration.
China sees faster-than-expected natural gas consumption growth in 2024
Commemorations honoring Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) martyrs were held on the banks of the Yalu River in Dandong, Liaoning Province on Tuesday as part of ongoing tributes to those who fought in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea (1950-1953).
The event was held to mark the return of the remains of 12 CPV martyrs, who were killed in the war, from the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Wednesday.
This will be the 13th such repatriation of CPV remains following the handover agreement between the two countries. Since 2014, the remains of 1,011 soldiers have been returned to China from the ROK, according to China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs.
More than 170 representatives, including veteran CPV soldiers, relatives of the martyrs, active-duty personnel, students, and other from various sectors of society, attended the event.
People boarded a ferry which slowly sailed down the Yalu River. Inside the cabin, all present stood in solemn silence as the national anthem of the People's Republic of China was played, and observed a moment of silence in honor of the CPV martyrs.
Then, they walked to the ship's railings one by one and scattered flower petals into the river to pay tribute to the martyrs.
"We, the CPV, went abroad to fight to defend our motherland, the people, and our good life and to resist U.S. imperialist aggression against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). I hope that our young comrades and students today will study hard and make contributions to our motherland," said Hu Changzhe, a CPV veteran.
"I feel deeply moved as these veteran soldiers are heroes who once fought for our country. Now, standing by the Yalu River, looking back on their past and remembering their comrades, they must be deeply touched," said Hong Jialu, a student at a branch of Liaoning Province Shiyan High School.
At the event, 10 student representatives from primary and middle schools read aloud a letter to express their reverence and remembrance for the heroic martyrs through their sincere words and heartfelt recitation.
The Korean War broke out in June 1950, eight months after the People's Republic of China was founded. At the request of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), China sent 2.9 million CPV soldiers to assist the DPRK during the war, of whom more than 360,000 were killed or injured.
Commemorations held to pay tribute to CPV heroes in northeast China
