China may see coal shortage
While
China's current annual coal
production is around 1.67 billion tons, its expected
consumption by 2010 will be 2.2 billion tons per annum.
The latest predictions are a matter of concern for the vice director of the State Administration of Work Safety. Speaking at the Eighth
China Beijing International High-tech Exposition, the vice director warned of an annual coal shortage of 330 million tons by 2010.
In order to make up for the anticipated shortfall
China will have to increase output from its mines. This is particularly worrisome for the State Administration of Work Safety since
China does not have the best record when it comes to mine safety. To make matters worse, Beijing finds itself facing a Catch-22 because its recent moves to tighten the safety control on coalmines could lead to a drop in
production.
Coal is
China's fundamental energy source, accounting for 87.4% of the total energy resources.