China allows four firms to resume Aussie coal imports - sources

Datang group

04/01/2023 10:20

By Muyu Xu and Chen Aizhu
       SINGAPORE, Jan 4 (Reuters) - China's state planner has
allowed three central government-backed utilities and its top
steelmaker to resume coal imports from Australia, the first such
move since Beijing imposed an unofficial ban on coal trade with
Canberra in 2020.
    The partial easing of the coal import ban comes after the
two countries' foreign ministers met last month seeking to reset
the frosty diplomatic relations between the two nations.
    The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)
summoned China Datang Corp, China Huaneng Group, China Energy
Investment Corporation and China Baowu Steel Group on Tuesday to
discuss the resumption of coal imports from Australia, two
people familiar with the matter said.
    The firms will be granted permission to purchase Australian
coal only for their own use, the people said. 
    The NDRC did not respond to a request for comment. The four
companies named did not immediately respond to a request for
comment outside office hours. 
    China imposed restrictions on Australian commodities
including coal and wine just over two years ago after relations
between Beijing and Canberra turned sour over several political
and public health matters.
    "Some (Chinese) traders have started to ask for prices of
the February cargoes after the NDRC meeting," one of the people
said, adding that the current Australian coal prices are still
attractive to Chinese buyers.
 (Reporting by Muyu Xu and Chen Aizhu; Editing by Jan Harvey)
 ((muyu.xu@thomsonreuters.com; +65 9829 1075;))