BEIJING, Feb. 11 -- China's natural gas consumption registered a steady increase in 2023 amid the country's efforts to promote green development, official data showed.

Last year, apparent consumption of natural gas stood at 394.53 billion cubic meters, up 7.6 percent year on year, according to the National Development and Reform Commission.

In December 2023, apparent consumption of natural gas rose 9.5 percent compared with the same period of 2022, reaching 37.65 billion cubic meters.

China produced 229.7 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2023, up 5.8 percent from 2022, earlier data revealed.