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Shanxi to hold first coal expo

By Wan Zhihong (China Daily)
Updated: 2007-03-03 09:03

In January theNational Development and Reform Commission(NDRC) published the outline of the11th Five-Year Plan(2006-10) for the coal industry, saying that China's coal output is expected to reach 2.6 billion tons in 2010.

According to the NDRC outline, Shanxi andShaanxiprovinces and theInner MongoliaandNingxiaHui autonomous regions remain the major sources of coal, and production in these areas should be expanded.

According to the plan, more large-scale coal production bases will be established and the nation will develop six to eight coal-mining groups, with an output of 100 million tons, and 8 to 10 companies with an output of 50 million tons.

By the end of the previous five-year plan (2005), there were two firms in China with an annual output of 100 million tons and three firms with an output of 50 million tons.

The nation has also made the plans for its coalbed methane industry and coal-to-chemical industry. According to a draft of the medium- and long-term plan for the coal-to-chemical industry, China will invest more than 1 trillion yuan in development of the industry by 2020.

The nation will also increase the development and use of coalbed methane to meet rising demand for energy, said a five-year plan for the coalbed methane industry developed by the NDRC.

(China Daily 03/03/2007 page10)