Chinese vice premier stresses clean, efficient use of coal

Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, presides over a meeting promoting the clean and efficient use of coal in Beijing, capital of China, March 22, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)

BEIJING, March 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice Premier Han Zheng has stressed coordinated efforts to secure energy supply and make new progress in promoting clean and efficient utilization of coal.

Han, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, made the remarks on Tuesday while presiding over a meeting promoting the clean and efficient use of coal.

Stressing the extreme importance of national energy security, Han said the country should promote the clean and efficient utilization of coal and bolster the fundamental role of coal in energy and power supply.

The clean and efficient use of coal is a vital path to achieving the country's carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, he said, calling for moves to advance a green transition of energy in a scientific and orderly manner.

China should focus on key fields and sectors and advance energy conservation and carbon reduction retrofits in coal-intensive industries like power, he said.

The vice premier also called for efforts to popularize advanced energy conservation technologies and achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in this field.

The country should scale up financial support for clean coal, with measures to anchor market expectation and encourage the participation of social capital, Han added.