China aims to increase coal production 30 pct by 2015: govt

BEIJING (AFP)


That is up from the 2.54 billion tonnes in produced 2007, according to the ministry.

Figures for 2008 have not yet been released.

Annual production of natural gas will more than double to 160 billion cubic metres (5.6 billion cubic feet) by 2015, while that of crude oil will increase by seven percent to more than 200 billion tonnes, according to Hu.

The government will set up reserves of oil and coal as part of its efforts to ensure national energy security, added Hu at a press conference.

China began building four strategic oil reserve facilities on its east coast this decade, and two of these are now in operation.

AFP