Beijing (Reuters) – Chinese customs authorities denied reports that they plan to conduct slow inspections of imported coal, which could lead to less imports.
China Customs Headquarters said in a Weibo post on Sunday that it realized online that customs inspections will be postponed from April 1, resulting in longer clearances.
The post says: “This is wrong.”
The China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association said Friday night that customs governments in many regions of China will conduct inspections of imported coal starting April 1.
The association did not immediately respond to requests for comments via email and WeChat.
The group and the China Coal Industry Association issued a statement last month calling on its members to limit imports of low-quality coal and curb production to restore the over-imposed market to rebalance.
(Reports by Colleen Howe and Amy LV; Editing by Edwina Gibbs)
