China Coal Output Posts First Decline Since Beijing Ordered More
- President Xi pushed for more mining of the fossil fuel
- Oil processing reached record levels for lunar holiday
Authorities in China put renewed emphasis on coal after a 2021 energy crisis made energy security a top priority for President Xi Jinping.
Photographer: VCG/Getty Images
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China’s output of thermal coal has fallen for the first time in years, adding to signs that Beijing’s long campaign to bolster energy security by digging more of the fuel may have reached its apex.
Coal production dropped 4.2% from a year earlier to 705 million tons for January and February combined, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics. That’s the first year-on-year decline since September 2021.