Premier Li Keqiang, also a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the National Energy Commission, chaired a commission meeting on Oct 11.
The meeting studied further measures to safeguard energy security, reviewed and passed opinions on high-quality energy development, and laid out measures to ensure heat supply in the coming winter and spring next year.
Premier Li said achievements in energy industry provide fundamental support to economic and social development. As China is still a developing country, modernization and energy supply guarantee remain a long-term strategic task.
Facing profound adjustments in global energy supply and demand and new challenges in the sector, China must push forward reform in energy consumption, supply, technology, and systems, and embrace more international collaboration, Premier Li said.
Premier Li said that, based on domestic conditions and development phase, energy supplies should be diversified to improve supply.
Considering China’s coal-based energy structure, efforts should be made to plan coal exploitation in a scientific way and strengthen the construction of coal and electricity transportation channels, to promote the green mining of coals, clean and efficient development of coal power and to effectively exploit coalbed methane, he said.
The exploitation of oil and gas should be expanded to improve China’s self-sustainability, he said, adding that open, win-win and diversified global collaboration on oil and gas should be deepened. And efforts should be made to strengthen safety reserves and emergency supplies.
The percentage of electricity should be raised by replacing oil at railways and conducting electricity transformations at harbors and airports, the Premier said.
He also called for green lifestyles and consumption cultures and extending energy-saving products.
Premier Li said technological and institutional innovation is the important impetus for high-quality development in the energy industry.
He stressed speeding up the energy development and utilization, tackling major problems with key technologies and facilities, pushing forward commercialization of energy storage and hydrogen energy technologies, and developing new industries and business models based on the internet.
He called for efforts to deepen market-oriented reform in energy, relax investment restrictions in oil and gas exploration, encourage the construction of oil and gas pipelines and liquefied natural gas terminals, as well as gas storage and peak-shaving facilities.
He further called for an ease in market access for power distribution and sales business.
All kinds of social capital should be encouraged in the energy field, he said.
The time for enterprises to gain access to electricity should be shortened to meet the international advanced standard, he said.
An energy-pricing mechanism determined by the market should be established with improved market supervision and work safety procedures should be put in place, the Premier said.
He said energy is vital to people's lives. With the heating season in North China about to begin, work should be done to ensure heating supplies and to choose energy sources according to local conditions.
The Premier also stressed coordination in natural gas production, storage, transport, marketing and gas supply through a variety of channels.
Multiple measures should be adopted to meet the public's heating demand for the upcoming winter. Preparations should be made for natural gas supply for new residents who shifted from coal to natural gas as heating source in key northern regions. And coal supply for heating in Northeast China's Heilongjiang, Jilin and Liaoning provinces should be safeguarded.
Vice-Premier Han Zheng, and State Councilors Wang Yong and Xiao Jie attended the meeting.
