China’s Coal Imports at Record as Temperatures Plunge

China, the world’s biggest coal user, boosted imports of the fuel to a record last month, spurred by temperatures at a 35-year low and stockpiling, according to customs data.

Imports in December rose 6 percent from a year earlier to 17.34 million metric tons, the General Administration of Customs said in an e-mailed report today. Purchases gained 31 percent to a record 165 million tons in 2010, according to the data.