China's raw coal output reached 1.585 billion tons in the first four months of this year, up 6.6 percent year on year, according to China National Coal Association.
The country's coal import in the period was 153 million tons, down 5.3 percent year on year.
By the end of April, the total stock of China's coal mining enterprises was 89 million tons, up 41.7 percent year on year, and the coal inventory of China's ports around the Bohai Sea was 31.04 million tons, rising 25 percent from a year ago.
By mid-May, China's power plants had a total coal stockpile of around 200 million tons, enough for 36 days of production.
"Since the beginning of this year, coal production capacity has continued to be unleashed in China, with the output steadily increasing and coal import decreasing. The overall coal supply has been sufficient, and the market trend of supply exceeding demand is obvious now. And the whole society's coal inventory is at the highest level in history," said Zhang Hong, spokesman of China National Coal Association.
In terms of the major coal-consuming industries, the coal consumption for power generation would continue to grow this year, and that by the chemical industry would increase moderately, said the Association, noting that China's coal consumption demand in 2025 is expected to grow by 1.5 to 2 percent.
The association estimated that domestic coal output would increase by about 5 percent this year.
China's coal sector is accelerating its transition towards cleaner and more efficient production.
North China's coal-rich Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has completed the building of 36 modern coal chemical projects of various types, ranking the first in the country in terms of the capacity of converting coal into natural gas and olefin. Its annual conversion of raw coal has exceeded 100 million tons.
A coal chemical enterprise in the city of Ordos in Inner Mongolia has been converting raw coal into polyethylene and polypropylene, and selling them to manufacturing enterprises in east and north China for production of high-value-added medical equipment, carbon fiber products, and other high-tech goods.
"Now we are able to convert seven million tons of coal annually. By extending the industrial chain, the added value of our products has increased nearly fivefold. The entire production process has achieved zero discharge of wastewater and ultra-low emission of boiler flue gas," said Cui Yijun, head of the polyolefin project of the company.
China's raw coal output up 6.6 percent in first four months
