Coal news and updates

China's major goods imports up Jan-Aug

BEIJING: China's imports of major commodities, including coal, crude oil and natural gas, saw a significant increase in the first eight months of the year, amid the country's continuous economic recovery, customs data showed.

INCREASED IMPORTATION This aerial photo taken on Aug. 23, 2023 shows ships passing through the five-tier ship locks of the Three Gorges Dam in Yichang, central China’s Hubei province. China’s imports of major commodities, including coal, crude oil and natural gas, saw a significant increase in the first eight months of the year, amid the country’s continuous economic recovery, customs data showed. XINHUA PHOTO

During the January-August period, the country imported 306 million tons of coal, up 82 percent year on year, while imports of crude oil and refined oil surged 14.7 percent and 100.1 percent, respectively, to 379 million tons and 30.55 million tons, according to the General Administration of Customs.

The country's imports of natural gas rose 9.4 percent year on year to 77.7 million tons in the first eight months, the data showed.

The per-ton price of these commodities all edged down, the data revealed.

The data emerged as indicators showing signs of strengthening economic momentum. The purchasing managers' index for the country's manufacturing sector continued to rise in August, reaching 49.7, up from 49.3 in July, 49 in June and 48.8 in May.