China's National Energy Administration (NEA) on Monday released the country's first-ever hydrogen energy development report, revealing that the country's hydrogen production and consumption topped 36.5 million tons in 2024, securing the top spot worldwide.
According to the report, by the end of 2024, renewable energy-based hydrogen production projects worldwide had an annual capacity of over 250,000 tons, with China contributing more than half of the total, positioning the country as a leader in global hydrogen production from renewable energy sources and related industries.
"In 2024, hydrogen production in China's 'Three-North' regions (northwest, north and northeast China) accounted for more than half of the national total, with Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, Shaanxi, Ningxia and other regions all ranking among the top positions. By the end of 2024, over 600 water electrolysis hydrogen production projects were planned across the country, with more than 150 already under construction or completed, yielding an annual production capacity of around 125,000 tons. These projects are mainly concentrated in northwest and north China, together accounting for nearly 90 percent of the country's total established hydrogen production capacity," said Xu Jilin, deputy director of the NEA's energy conservation and sci-tech equipment department, at a press conference in Beijing on Monday.
The report underscores China's significant advancements in hydrogen production, storage, transport, and utilization technologies.
Several large-scale renewable energy-based hydrogen production projects have been completed and put into operation, and the pilot application of fuel cell vehicles has been steadily advancing, with more than 540 hydrogen refueling stations built across the country, according to the report.
China leads global hydrogen production, consumption in 2024: report
Ethiopian coffee, famous for its unique flavor, is quickly gaining ground in the Chinese market, and producers hope to further propel exports by leveraging China's newly implemented zero-tariff measures.
China's zero-tariff policy for all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations takes effect on Friday, marking a new stage for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.
For Ethiopia, the policy opens a timely growth avenue. The country ranks among the top five global coffee producers, and China has already emerged as its fourth-largest export market.
Finette, a coffee trader from the east African country, recently traveled to China to visit a coffee processing company in central China's Henan Province. During the trip, she hopes to establish a more stable and in-depth cooperative relationship this and other Chinese companies.
"I came here be because this company is a key buyer of green (coffee) beans from Ethiopia. I also come here for displaying Ethiopian traditional culture, information sharing. I'm the delegate of coffee trading company in Ethiopia. I hope more and more Chinese can drink coffee, drink the original Ethiopian coffee," said Finette.
On Thursday, the first branded store in China specializing in African coffee officially opened inside Zhengzhou Airport, a major import hub in the country's eastern region. The store is run by Huichuan Industrial Development Company, which has cooperated directly with Ethiopia and invested 300 million yuan (about 43.9 million US dollars) in the construction of a coffee processing industrial demonstration park in 2020.
"We already have more than a dozen varieties of African coffee on display here. We want to make high-quality African coffee a local specialty of Henan and bring it to more friends from other places," said Lu Ying, deputy general manager of the company.
Ethiopia's blooming coffee trade is part of a larger story. Trade between China and Africa has reached a record high for five consecutive years and is expected to exceed 300 billion US dollars for the first time in 2025. China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years. Over the past five years, China's annual imports of agricultural products from Africa have averaged over 5 billion US dollars.
"Since China expanded cooperation through unilateral openness, more and more African agricultural products have entered the Chinese market, such as Ethiopian coffee, Egyptian citrus fruits, South African pecans, and Kenyan avocados. This is partly due to China's expanding zero-tariff policy towards the least developed African countries, and partly a result of cooperation between relevant government departments and enterprises,” said Jing Ning, deputy director of the Department of West Asian and African Affairs under the Ministry of Commerce.
Ethiopian coffee gains momentum in China as zero-tariff policy takes effect
