The coal industry in Russia is currently facing a decrease in domestic demand and the country is hoping to increase exports to China. At the moment, China is considered to be the biggest consumer and producer of the fuel in the world.
Ivan Grachyov, the chairman of the State Duma Committee for Energy, in a video conference said, “We expect to increase our coal exports to China and to countries in Southeast Asia by improving our port and rail infrastructure”. Grachyov, while talking to reporters on October 31, 2013 said that the government of Russia is expecting that the export of coal to China will reach 20 million metric tons, which is an increase from 19 million tons in 2012.
The Asian country said that it hopes to work with Russia on natural gas, as well as nuclear energy projects. China is also expecting to increase coal and electricity imports from Russia and to expand partnership in renewable energy projects. The goals of the two nations were expressed in a meeting of the bilateral energy cooperation committee, which was held in Beijing in October 2013.
After Indonesia, Australia, Colombia, South Africa and the United States, Russia is the sixth largest coal exporter. It is building a new port in the Far East region with an annual capacity of 140 million tons.
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