BOAO, China - China's fast-growing economy is largely self reliant in energy and is not to blame for a crunch in world energy supplies, the country's top state planner said on Saturday.
Some have pointed to rising demand from China as a contributor to high oil prices but Ma Kai said the country was 94 percent self-sufficient in energy last year, helped by its huge coal industry.
"China's economy is growing very fast but by no means does it have to lead to strained energy supplies around the world," Ma told an economic forum on the tropical island of Hainan.
China was looking for more energy supplies at home to meet its growth needs, and there were enough resources to support this, Ma said.
China is largely dependent on coal to drive its economy, the world's seventh largest, and Ma pointed to abundant recoverable coal reserves of more than 140 billion tonnes.
Coal accounted for about 67 percent of China's energy consumption and 76 percent of energy production, he said.
China was trying to save energy and develop other sources, such as nuclear, wind and hydro power generation, to reduce its reliance on coal, Ma added.
The worst power crunch in two decades hit China last year. More than two-thirds of its provinces suffered electricity blackouts and coal ran short amid soaring demand for energy.
Shortages continue in southern China this year, with projections for a national shortage of 23,000 megawatts this year, down from 40,000 megawatts last year.
REUTERS NEWS SERVICE
