China's coal output declines 8.4%

BEIJING - China's coal output fell 8.4 percent year on year to 1.34 billion tons during the first five months of the year, the top economic planning body said Wednesday.

Coal imports rose 3.7 percent from one year earlier to 86.28 million tons during the five-month period, according to a statement on the website of the National Development and Reform Commission.

Exports more than doubled to 4.01 million tons.

Coal storage in major power plants totaled 54.32 million tons.

The statement added that stockpiles at coal companies amounted to 120 million tons at the end of May, down 9.2 percent year on year.