(Yicai Global) July 16 -- China’s coal production rose 0.6 percent to 1.8 billion tons in the first half from a year ago despite the pandemic, according to official data published today.

In June, coal output fell 1.2 percent to 330 million tons from a year earlier, said the National Bureau of Statistics.

China's Administration of Customs said earlier this month that the nation imported 174 million tons of the fossil fuel in the first half, and nearly 15 percent of that was in June.

Editor: Emmi Laine