BEIJING — China's coal imports bounced back in December as domestic demand for the fuel surged during the harsh early winter.

Coal arrivals totaled 39.08 million tons last month, up 234.8 percent from a month earlier and skyrocketing from only 2.77 million tons in December in 2019, data from the General Administration of Customs showed.

Driven by surging coal imports in December, China's full-year coal purchases increased 1.49 percent year-on-year to 303.99 million tons in 2020, marking the fifth straight year of growth, according to the data.

China's demand for coal is significantly increasing amid the exceptionally trying winter. Authorities have worked to sustain a stable supply of coal, strengthen maintenance to avoid power cuts and optimize resource allocation between provinces.