According to the latest data released by the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC), China's coal imports (all types) totaled 77.222 million tons in January-February this year, one of the all-time highs for the period, increasing by 1.5 percent year on year.
This happened despite the overall coal import target for 2026 being set at 465 million tons, down 5.1 percent from 2025, according to the China Coal Transportation and Distribution Association (CCTD). Imports are expected to be lower due to lower coal quotas in Indonesia, but strong demand in China in early 2026 supported total imports in January-February. In China itself, coal production (mostly represented by thermal coal) is projected to increase by less than one percent in 2026, despite lower imports.
In the coking coal segment, China is expected to post larger production cuts, in the range of five to eight percent, according to various analysts. This will be subject to ongoing restrictions for security reasons. При этом спрос на высокосортный коксующийся уголь останется достаточно высоким, поэтому у Монголии, России и Австралии есть шанс сохранить объемы продаж стабильными в 2026 году по сравнению с 2025 годом или даже немного увеличить их в случае более дешевых углей из первых двух стран.
