China Endures Worsening Electricity Shortages In Name Of Punishing Australia

Several cities in at least three provinces in central and southern China are experiencing a power crunch, with some local governments beginning to ration power use during peak times, according to multiple domestic media reports.

So ultimately this shows Beijing is so intent and devoted to punishing Australia that it will make its own citizens suffer in the downward spiraling spat that began last Spring when Canberra joined US calls for an independent probe into China's handling of COVID-19 as the place of origin for the pandemic.

As it stands coal is Australia's third-largest export to China and is the latest to face severe and opaque import regulations, as Reuters revealed early this week: "Chinese media outlets including The Global Times and Caixin on Monday reported China's top economic planner had granted approval to power plants to import coal without clearance restrictions, except for Australia," according to the report.

Australian Trade Minister Simon Birmingham on Tuesday said he was "Deeply troubled" by new reports in Chinese state media that the country's top economic planner has effectively banned certain coal imports from Australia.

Parts of China are reportedly experiencing worsening electricity shortages as the communist country refuses to accept Australian coal which remains in dozens of ships being kept waiting off China's ports.

Hubei, another central province, has expressed concerns over power usage due to tight coal supplies.

Reports of regional energy shortfalls come as China is aiming to curb its production of coal - a high-polluting fossil fuel that's used to heat homes and power thermal plants - in order to meet its ambitious climate goal to become carbon-neutral by 2060.

https://www.zerohedge.com/commodities/china-endures-worsening-electricity-shortages-name-punishing-australia