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BAE IN SUN
  • China Recasts Coal as Grid Backstop Amid Energy Security Concerns
    China Recasts Coal as Grid Backstop Amid Energy Security Concerns China is again emphasizing coal in its energy policy as surging electricity demand, the variability of renewable power and geopolitical uncertainty raise concerns about energy security. Analysts say Beijing, long promoting a shift away from coal, is redefining it as a safeguard to keep the power grid stable. The shift was underscored at a recent State Council meeting. China’s state-run Xinhua News Agency reported on April 21 that the State Council held its 19th group study session the previous day on accelerating the building of a new energy system by balancing energy security with a green, low-carbon transition. Premier Li Qiang said strengthening energy security is a core foundation for building China into an “energy powerhouse.” Citing rapid changes in the international situation and rising energy consumption, he called for maintaining a sense of urgency and improving the resilience and security of the energy system with preparations for worst-case scenarios. Li said the key to stronger energy security is optimizing the energy mix. He urged greater innovation in energy technology, faster development of a new energy system and a push for low-carbon shifts in energy production and consumption. He also called for expanding large clean-energy bases, including wind and solar in the northwest, hydropower in the southwest and offshore wind along the eastern coast, while developing distributed solar and wind as well as biomass, geothermal and ocean energy tailored to local conditions. At the same time, Li made clear that coal’s role is changing. He said China should raise the level of clean and efficient use of fossil fuels, speed upgrades to improve efficiency at existing coal-fired plants and accelerate retrofits to cut carbon. He also said coal power should move beyond serving only as a baseload source and become a flexible resource that can adjust output to match demand. China has promoted a shift from coal to renewables under its goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. With expanded wind and solar installations, renewable capacity last year rose to about 2.334 billion kilowatts, accounting for about 60% of total power capacity. But electricity demand is rising quickly, outpacing the growth in generating capacity, the report said. Driven by artificial intelligence, data centers and the spread of electric vehicles, power consumption last year exceeded 10.4 trillion kilowatt-hours, more than double the 2015 level and more than twice that of the United States. Renewables also pose challenges: solar and wind output can swing sharply with weather, making it difficult to respond reliably when demand peaks. With volatility in global energy markets rising amid the Russia-Ukraine war and the outbreak of the Iran war, arguments have gained traction for slowing the pace of coal cuts, the report said. Against that backdrop, coal is re-emerging as a key stabilizing element in China’s power system. Coal output has continued to rise, and the National Bureau of Statistics said last year’s production hit a record 4.85 billion tons. Some analysts say this does not amount to a return to coal-centered policy but reflects an evolution in coal’s function within the energy system. The U.S. foreign affairs magazine The Diplomat said China’s policy focus is shifting from expanding generation to ensuring grid stability as renewables grow, with coal being reshaped from a baseload source into a flexible balancing resource that offsets renewable variability. Still, concerns remain that some local governments, citing short-term energy security, may lean on coal power because it is easier to build and cheaper, potentially adding pressure to long-term carbon-reduction goals, the report said. 2026-04-21 12:24:38
  • China resumes direct flights to Pyongyang after six-year halt
    China resumes direct flights to Pyongyang after six-year halt SEOUL, March 30 (AJP) - Chinese flagship carrier Air China has resumed direct flights to Pyongyang after a six-year hiatus, state media reported on Monday. According to state-run Xinhua News Agency, Air China has begun operating a weekly round-trip flight between Beijing Capital International Airport and Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. The resumption comes for the first time since the airline halted all flights to North Korea in January 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic began to spread, and follows the restart of passenger train service between the two countries earlier this month. At a regular briefing, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said the resumption of passenger flights between Beijing and Pyongyang would help promote exchanges between the "friendly neighboring countries." North Korea's Air Koryo has resumed its route from Pyongyang to Beijing since 2023, flying twice a week, but Chinese airlines had not operated regular flights to Pyongyang. Chinese Ambassador to North Korea Wang Yajun reportedly greeted the first passengers arriving from Beijing and said that friendly exchanges between the two countries will be "further boosted," with road, rail, and air services now fully resumed. 2026-03-30 17:48:53
  • Friendship Week returns to Shandong, boosting relations between South Korea and China
    Friendship Week returns to Shandong, boosting relations between South Korea and China SEOUL, November 21 (AJP) - A special weeklong event is taking place this week in the Chinese city of Jinan, Shandong Province, the South Korean Embassy in China said on Friday. Under the banner of "Friendship Week," which was first launched in 2003, the event had served as a key platform for local cooperation between the two countries, promoting economic and cultural exchanges. This year's event marks both the first since the coronavirus pandemic and the first held in Shandong since 2012. The event follows the momentum generated by last month's summit between South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in the southeastern city of Gyeongju. Around 160 participants including embassy officials and business representatives, are taking part, with 106 Chinese and 69 South Korean companies in attendance. At the opening ceremony on Thursday, South Korean Ambassador to China Noh Jae-heon expressed hope that the event would usher in a new era of practical cooperation with Shandong. He highlighted the province's population, industrial base, and geographical advantages, emphasizing the need to expand cooperation in supply chains and emerging industries like biotech. Lin Wu, Shandong's Party Secretary, thanked Noh for his first visit to Shandong since taking up his post and highlighted the significant growth in trade since diplomatic ties were established, pledging a fair investment and business environment for South Korean companies in China. Shandong Governor Zhou Naixiang also expressed a commitment to expanding cooperation in artificial intelligence (AI), biotech, and pharmaceuticals, requesting support for Shandong companies investing in South Korea. Among the participants were representatives from the Korea Chamber of Commerce in China, as well as around 20 small and medium-sized enterprises from Gyeonggi Province. South Korean companies held one-on-one meetings to discuss projects for bilateral cooperation. Until Saturday, Qingdao's largest mall, Vientiane City, also hosts a promotional event featuring South Korean pavilion in collaboration with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation, and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). * This article, published by Aju Business Daily, was translated by AI and edited by AJP. 2025-11-21 16:55:48