China's energy system withstands tests of COVID-19, global volatility

Ren Jingdong, deputy director of the National Energy Administration, speaks at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing, capital of China, Oct. 17, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Yuwei)

BEIJING, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- China's energy supply system has withstood the tests of the COVID-19 epidemic and major natural disasters, and effectively cushioned the impact of volatile international energy prices, an official said Monday.

The country's energy supply system has improved over the past decade, with a self-sufficiency rate exceeding 80 percent, Ren Jingdong, deputy director of the National Energy Administration, said at a press conference on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

Stressing China's role as a major energy producer and consumer, Ren vowed more efforts to safeguard energy security.

China will give full play to coal as the ballast stone in the energy mix and enhance oil and gas exploration and development, he said. The goal is to raise the annual overall energy production capacity to over 4.6 billion tonnes of standard coal by 2025.

In the long run, China will comprehensively build a clean energy supply system covering wind power, solar power, hydropower, and nuclear power, he said. "We will work to ensure that the share of non-fossil energy in total energy consumption rises to around 20 percent by 2025 and 25 percent by 2030."

Ren also pledged to improve the early warning capacity for energy security and strengthen energy supply to key regions and in key periods.