Liu Zhiquan, the director of the impact assessment and emissions management division of China’s Ministry of Ecological Environment (MEE), stated at a press release held on December 23 in Beijing that China has accelerated the development of coal production capacity, with China having approved coal projects with a total newly-added annual capacity of 127 million mt since October this year.
Moreover, the MEE announced that the rumors of large-scale production restrictions for the Beijing Winter Olympic Games were not accurate, adding that instead China will take reasonable environmental protection measures in accordance with laws and regulations, signaling that China’s central government will try its best to reduce the impact on economic and social operations and on people’s lives.