Coal is China’s primary energy source and plays a pivotal role as both a “ballast” and a “stabilizer” in ensuring energy supply. Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the “Implementation Opinions on Establishing a Coal Production Capacity Reserve System” (hereinafter referred to as the “Implementation Opinions”), which emphasize deepening supply-side structural reform in the coal sector, innovating capacity‑management mechanisms, and refining policies on production capacity reserves, thereby enhancing coal’s function as a safety net to safeguard energy supply.

In recent years, China has made solid progress in pursuing high-quality economic development, with energy consumption continuing to grow at a relatively rapid pace. Several experts have emphasized that ensuring energy security and supply is the top priority in China’s energy sector. They stress the need to leverage the country’s resource endowments, establish a coal production capacity reserve system, and enhance the elasticity and resilience of coal supply.

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“Supply-side reform has brought about profound changes in the coal industry,” said Zhang Hong, spokesperson for the China National Coal Association. In the past, China’s coal production was dominated by small and medium-sized mines; today, through reform, a large number of outdated production capacities have been phased out. For example, whereas more than 10,000 coal mines once produced over 3 billion tons of coal annually, now just over 4,000 mines are capable of producing more than 4 billion tons. This has enhanced the quality and efficiency of the coal sector, contributing to high‑quality development.