While China has long been the world's top producer and overall consumer of coal, the country also became the largest importer of the resource last year, overtaking a position held by Japan since at least 1975.
Customs data compiled by the International Energy Agency show that strong domestic demand boosted China's coal imports by 10.8 percent in 2011 to 182.4 million tons. Japan's imports of the fossil fuel dropped by 5.1 percent to 175.2 million tons over the same period due, at least in part, to the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit the country's northeast coast last March.
However, a Reuters poll conducted last month showed that China's coal imports are expected to slow during 2012 as domestic production rises and overall consumption of the fossil fuel begins to plateau, leaving it unclear whether or not China will retain its position in 2012. (china-briefing.com)
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