1. China's coal imports to maintain growth in 2013
Updated: 2012-12-24 11:01
( Xinhua)
China coal imports are expected to maintain
growth in 2013, sustaining supply from major
exporters like Indonesia and Australia, industry
experts said.
Coal imports in the first eleven months this year
reached 245 million tons, up 34.9 percent from a
year earlier, according to China Coal
Transportation and Distribution Association.
Full year imports are forecast to hit 270 million
tons.
Wang Zhanjun, head of the association, told a
summit held in China's major coal-producing
province of Shanxi that he expected imports to
maintain "high levels" next year.
The country became a net coal importer in 2009.
The amount of imported coal has grown steadily
over the past three years due to the decline of
prices in the international market and low
shipping costs, said experts attending the 2013
China Coal Market Summit.
Globally, the demand for coal continued to drop
this year, influenced by the sluggish economy in
the developed world and the development of
shale gas in the United States, said Han Lei, an

2. analyst with www.cctd.com.cn, an industry
website run by the association.
Meanwhile, the supply from major coal
exporters like Indonesia and Australia has been
growing, creating strains of over supply, Han
added. Most of China's imported coal comes
from Indonesia.
The country's coal production is expected to hit
3.7 billion tons this year, according to China Coal
Industry Association.
However, consumption grew at a slower pace,
chipping away at corporate profits. Data shows
combined profits at 90 major Chinese coal
producers plunged 22.2 percent from a year
earlier between January and October this year.
by chinadaily.com.cn