(Yicai Global) Sept. 26 -- Chinese companies achieved coal output of 2.3 billion tons in the first eight months of this year, an increase of 5.4 percent annually. Coal output last month was 290 million tons, up 4.1 percent from a year earlier, data the National Development and Reform Commission released yesterday show.

China imported 180 million tons of coal from January to August, marking a 14.2- percent annual increase. Imports last month were 25.27 million tons, down 5 percent. The country exported 5.91 million tons of coal in the first eight months, a 4.3-percent increase over the same period last year.

The country shipped 1.43 billion tons of coal by rail in the first eight months, a rise of 17.9 percent from a year earlier. China's key power plants had a 14-day supply of 56.63 million tons of coal at the end of last month.