China’s overseas purchases of coal nearly doubled in October from a year ago as the government
leaned on importers to help ease a nationwide power shortage caused in large part by a shortage of the fuel. However, imports of nearly 27 million tons were still 18% below the annual high reached in September -- and at their weakest since May -- after Beijing boosted efforts to raise domestic production of China’s mainstay fuel. Coal imports for the first 10 months of 2021 were less than 2% higher than last year.