SINGAPORE (Reuters) – China’s coal imports in the first two months of 2023 surged 71% from a low base a year earlier as utilities replenished stocks in anticipation of greater demand after the country abandoned its zero-COVID policies.
China, the world’s largest coal consumer, imported 60.64 million tonnes of coal during January and February, compared to 35.39 million tonnes in the same period last year, customs data showed on Tuesday. Data for the two months is combined due to the week-long Lunar New Year holiday that began in late January.
(Reporting by Muyu Xu in Singapore and Andrew Hayley in Beijing; Editing by Tom Hogue)
