Overview of the Tashan Mine in Datong, Shanxi, a part of the Circular Economy Park which follows a principle of "reduce, recycle and reuse". [Photo/China Daily]

Wu Yongping, president of the Datong Coal Mine Group, talks with Pitsi Moloto, vice-governor of South Africa's Limpopo province.[Photo/China Daily]

One of China's coal giants, the third-largest State-owned coal mine, has plans to expand its connections with the clean energy sector during the next Five Year Plan, according to the chairman of the board of directors.

Wu Yongping, chairman of the board of directors of the Datong Coal Mine Group, told China Daily on Tuesday in reference to the 12th Five-Year Plan (2011-15), "Over the next five years, we will target new energy development with tens of billions of yuan to form a comprehensive new energy chain, besides coal exploration."

Datong Coal is one of the hard coal production leaders in China. It is located in the city of Datong, the second largest city in Shanxi province, which has a majority of China's coal deposits.

The company was established in 1949, as the Datong Coal Mine Administration. In 2000, it was reborn as Datong Coal Mine Group Co Ltd, with 3.5 billion yuan ($531.5 million) in registered capital.

It was by then involved in the production of coal, activated carbon, ferroalloy, granite, graphite, kaolin, pipes, fittings, and plastics.

By the end of 2008, its coal production, across 54 mines, had reached 122 million tons, with total assets amounting to 75 billion yuan.

The mine at Majialiang, near Shuozhou, about 140 kilometers to the southwest of Datong, has an annual production capacity of approximately twelve million metric tons.