Chinese Vice Premier Li Keqiang stressed the importance of coal production and electricity supply during his recent inspection in the coal-rich northern Shanxi Province.

Li, also member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, said the sufficient energy supply was the pillar stone of stable economic development.

He added that coal mines should strive for increasing supply under the precondition of work safety to guarantee the success of the coming Beijing Olympics and people's daily consumption demand.

Shanxi Province produced 630 million tonnes of coal in 2007, accounting for more than a quarter of the nation's total output.

Li urged coal mines, especially those state-owned big ones, to map out scientific medium and long-term development programs, further explore production potentials and to increase output of coal of better quality.

He also called on these enterprises to strengthen technology upgrading to raise resource usage efficiency, adding that production restructuring through high technologies is the key solution to energy saving and pollution cut.

(Xinhua News Agency July 31, 2008)