“China resumes imports of Australian coal”… Power shortage?
[앵커]
China has resumed imports of Australian coal after nearly a year, reports have emerged.
The ban on imports of Australian coal not only caused a large-scale blackout in China, but also affected the domestic urea water shortage.
The resumption of imports is attracting attention as it will improve relations between the two countries as well as resolve China’s electricity shortage.
Correspondent Han Sang-yong.
[기자]
China has resumed imports of Australian coal, which it halted in November last year, a month ago, the Hong Kong Myungbo reported.
According to the General Administration of Customs, China’s customs office, a total of 2.79 million tons of Australian coal imported last month. Most of them are for power generation, and some raw coal for iron making is included.
However, as the Chinese government did not officially confirm this, it is unclear whether the import of Australian coal has fully recovered or whether the volume that has been tied to the ship has been unloaded.
Since China demanded an international investigation into the source of the coronavirus in April last year, China has imposed omnidirectional ‘export restrictions’ on coal, beef and wine.
In addition, it is analyzed that Australia’s joining of ‘Ocus’ this year following ‘Quad’, a multilateral consultative body led by the US, also touched the heart of China.
Accordingly, the resumption of coal imports is also interpreted as suggesting the possibility that China will change its relationship with Australia, which has been participating in the United States’ containment of China.
However, as the Australian government has expressed concern over the disappearance of Chinese tennis star Feng Shun, and political circles are also claiming a diplomatic boycott of next year’s Beijing Winter Olympics, conflict elements remain.
Most of all, I am interested in whether the resumption of imports of Australian coal will solve the problem of electricity shortage in China that has continued for the past few months.
In China, coal stocks were running low due to the ban on imports of Australian coal, which led to large-scale blackouts at manufacturing facilities.
In particular, it was analyzed that normal power generation was impossible because coal was insufficient to extract urea water as a by-product while using coal as a thermal power plant, which caused a shortage of urea water in Korea.
This is Yonhap News, Han Sang-yong.
Yonhap News TV Article Inquiries and Reports: KakaoTalk/Line jebo23
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