New energy generated from renewables gains more ground as private firms, SOEs up efforts.

Sinosteel Cam S.A. estimates that at least 600 direct jobs and more than 1,000 indirect jobs will be created through the project.

Facing the pressure of increasing uncertainties in the global energy market caused by geopolitical conflicts, China has pledged maximum efforts to safeguard its energy supply.

Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed the country's raw coal output rose 10.3 percent year-on-year to 1.08 billion metric tons in the first quarter.

"The previously pent-up steel consumption will not disappear. It will only be delayed," Shi said.

China's central bank on Wednesday announced that it has increased the targeted re-lending quota for the coal industry by another 100 billion yuan (about 15.11 billion U.S. dollars) to support the clean and efficient use of coal.

In north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the rugged surface of an exhausted coal mine has received a major face-lift, newly populated by 1.12 million photovoltaic modules, beneath which numerous plants are flourishing.

Mongolia exported a total of 3.8 million tons of coal in the first four months of this year, down 48 percent year on year, Mongolian Customs General Administration said on Monday.