BEIJING - China's coal imports in June rose 12% year-on-year, customs data showed on Friday, as heatwaves in the world's top consumer of the fuel supported demand.
Shipments to China were 44.6-million metric tons in June, according to the Generation Administration of Customs. That was up from 43.82-million tons in May.
Record high temperatures swept across northwest and east China in June, boosting electricity demand as people turned on their air conditioning to stay cool.
China has warned that it is facing longer and hotter heat waves because of climate change.
On the supply front, lower coal production during the first part of the year has led to increased imports. China's coal output from Januaryto May was down 3% from a year earlier at 1.86-billion tons.
In the first half of 2024, China's overall coal imports were up 12.5% from a year earlier at 250 million tons, the data showed.