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BAE IN SUN
  • China Recasts Coal as Power-Grid Backstop Amid Energy Security Concerns
    China Recasts Coal as Power-Grid Backstop Amid Energy Security Concerns China is again elevating coal in its energy policy as surging electricity demand, the intermittency of renewables and geopolitical uncertainty sharpen concerns about energy security. Analysts say Beijing, which has promoted a shift away from coal, is redefining it as a “safety valve” to help keep the power grid stable. The direction 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 through coordinating energy security and the green, low-carbon transition.” Premier Li Qiang said strengthening energy security is a core foundation for building China into an energy power. Citing rapid changes in the international situation and rising energy consumption, he called for maintaining a sense of urgency and preparing for worst-case scenarios to improve the resilience and security of the energy system. Li said the key to stronger energy security is optimizing the energy mix. He urged greater innovation in energy technology, faster construction 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 and region-specific biomass, geothermal and ocean energy. 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 energy, 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 baseload supply and become a flexible source that can adjust output to match demand. China has promoted “de-coal” policies while pursuing goals of peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060, pushing a shift from coal to renewables. With expanded wind and solar installations, renewable capacity rose to about 2.334 billion kilowatts last year, accounting for about 60% of total power capacity. But electricity demand has been rising quickly, with some warning it is outpacing capacity growth. 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. A key challenge is the nature of renewables. 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. Against that backdrop, coal is re-emerging as a central stabilizing element in China’s power system. Coal output has continued to rise, and the National Bureau of Statistics said production last year hit a record 4.85 billion tons. Some analysts say this does not signal a return to a coal-centered system, but an evolution in coal’s function. The U.S. foreign affairs magazine The Diplomat said that as renewables expand, China’s policy focus is shifting from increasing generation to ensuring grid stability, with coal being reshaped from a baseload source into flexible capacity that offsets renewable variability. Still, some warn that local governments may lean on coal generation because it is easier to build and cheaper in the name of short-term energy security, potentially adding pressure to long-term carbon-reduction goals. 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