News from CCTV: The State Administration of Coal Mine Safety Supervision stated yesterday (21st) that in the 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of China, my country's coal production has increased from 32 million tons at the beginning of the founding of the People's Republic of China to 3.68 billion tons in 2018, a net increase of 114 times. The coal supply has changed from a severe shortage to an overall surplus of production capacity and a basic balance between supply and demand.

Since the founding of New China 70 years ago, my country’s coal industry has undergone earth-shaking changes. While coal production capacity has increased significantly, the structure of the coal industry has been continuously optimized. Through rectification, well closures, closures and bankruptcies, resource integration, mergers and reorganizations, and the elimination of backward production capacity, the number of coal mines has reduced from about 82,000 in 1997 to less than 5,700 currently. The concentration of the coal industry has greatly increased, achieving a historic leap from multiple, small, scattered, and chaotic to large bases, large groups, and large coal mines.

At the same time, the level of my country's coal mine technology and equipment has also improved significantly. At present, my country's complete sets of equipment such as fully mechanized mining equipment, shearers, hydraulic supports and transport aircraft with an annual output of 10 million tons have reached the world's advanced level. The 8.8-meter ultra-large mining height intelligent fully mechanized mining working face has been successfully applied. The mechanization level of coal mining and tunneling in coal mines nationwide has reached 78.5% and 60.4% respectively; 183 intelligent coal mining working faces have been built, and coal production has achieved a historic leap from manual operations to mechanization, automation, informationization, and intelligence. The country's coal mines have achieved "three significant decreases" in the total number of accidents, major accidents and million-ton fatalities.

Coal is my country’s main energy source and an important industrial raw material. Since the founding of New China 70 years ago, the coal industry, as an important basic industry, has strongly supported the steady and rapid development of our country's national economy and society.