In the January-September period this year, China imported 239.429 million mt of coal and lignite, down 4.4 percent year on year, shifting from a year-on-year rise of 0.2 percent recorded in the first eight months of the year, as announced by the Chinese customs authorities on October 13.
In September alone, China imported 18.676 million mt of coal and lignite, down 9.62 percent month on month, while declining by 38.3 percent year on year.