HOHHOT, Jan. 29 -- North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region churned out 1.21 billion tonnes of coal in 2023 as it strives to guarantee the country's energy supply.

According to the region's energy department, the coal output in China's major energy base accounted for over one-fourth of the country's total coal production last year.

Of the total, over 720 million tonnes were sold to clients outside of the region, which ranks first among all regions across the country.

In 2023, the region supplied 945 million tonnes of coal for coal-fired power plants under the country's mid- and long-term contracts, accounting for 36 percent of the country's total amount under such contracts, ranking first in the country. It has helped guarantee the coal supply for 25 provincial-level regions.

Over the years, Inner Mongolia has continued to optimize its coal production capacity. Ninety-two percent of its coal mines have an annual capacity of over 1.2 million tonnes, while the underground mechanization rate has basically reached 100 percent, said the regional energy department.