Who Controls China's Coal Base？

 Our country's coal production capacity ranks first in the world. According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics, in 2024, the national coal production reached 4.78 billion tons, an increase of 1.2% year-on-year, setting a record high for the fourth consecutive year.

 It can be said that China dominates the world's "coal transportation." So, who controls the core of China's coal industry?

 The answer is Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. Coal is the intangible landmark of Shanxi. Over the past 70 years, Shanxi has produced a total of 192 billion tons of coal, and its annual coal output has long been the highest in the country, though it has been lower than that of Inner Mongolia in recent years.

 In 2024, the raw coal production of Inner Mongolia and Shanxi was 1.297 billion tons and 1.269 billion tons respectively, accounting for 27.25% and 26.66% of the national production, together contributing more than half of the total. In the first 8 months of this year, the raw coal production of the two provinces was 0.84 billion tons and 0.86 billion tons respectively, with Shanxi once again surpassing Inner Mongolia, and it is expected to win a comeback battle for the entire year.

 In 2024, the raw coal production in Shaanxi, Xinjiang, and Guizhou was 0.78 billion tons, 0.54 billion tons, and 0.15 billion tons respectively, accounting for 16.39%, 11.36%, and 3.05% of the national total, making them among the top five coal-producing provinces in the country.

 Looking back over the past few years, the center of China's coal production is accelerating its shift towards the central and western regions. In 2024, the four provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang produced 3.9 billion tons of raw coal, accounting for 81.6% of the national total, an increase of 3.4 percentage points compared to 2020. Especially since 2024, multiple coal mines in Xinjiang have been approved for increased production capacity, and the rise of Xinjiang coal has become one of the biggest variables.