June 26, 2026 - China is leaving room for coal consumption to grow in coming years, as the stability of the world’s largest energy market continues to outweigh climate concerns.

“We will always prioritize energy security,” Wang Hongzhi, head of the National Energy Administration, said at a briefing on Friday to introduce the country’s new five-year plan for the sector, crediting the strategy for allowing China to successfully withstand the supply shock caused by the Iran War.