China awards first 2005 coke export licences

摘要

SINGAPORE & TOKYO-- China has announced the first allocations of coal and coke export licences for 2005 in quantities likely to placate foreign customers. The National Development and Reform Commission that administers China's coal industry announced on December 15 it was allocating licences equivalent to 64 million tonnes of coal -- 80 percent of China's likely total coal export volume for 2005. Prior to this the Ministry of Commerce (MoC) declared via its website on December 13 that 48 companies had been awarded licences for coke for 2005 totalling 7 million tonnes. The MoC had earlier revealed on October 30 that coke licences for 2005 would be equivalent to 14 million tonnes, about the same as this year's 14.7 million tonnes.