Chinese coal output up due to economic growth
The figures published by
China Society of Coal Industry show that
China produced 882.5 million tons of coal in the first six months of the year, up by 15% from a year earlier.
In 2003,
China's coal
production amounted to 1.6 billion tons with an increase of 18% compared to previous year.
The officials state that the record growth in coal output, sale and
distribution in the first half of the year grew out from the country's economic growth. The increasing demand for coal is expected to continue in the second half as well, but the growth rate will be lower than the first half.