Zhao Tiechui
Vice Administrator, Wtate Administration of Coal Industry

Speech at the Reception of the Workshop

Zhao Tiechui
Vice Administrator, Wtate Administration of Coal Industry

Respected guests, Ladies, and gentlemen:
Good evening!

To celebrate the Coal Mine Methane Project Investment International Workshop, Mr. Zhang Baomin from the State Administration of Coal Industry and I are very happy to join our friends from all over China and world for tonight's banquet. First, I want to represent the State Administratin of Coal Industry to express my warm welcome to our guests from U.S., Australia, Germany, United Kingdom, Japan, and Netherland, and to the various Chinese governmental representatives including the State Development Planning Commission, the State Economic and Trade Commission, the State Environmental Protection Agency, and others. I also want to express my appreciation to their contribution to China's coalbed methane development.

As everyone may know, China has the largest coal production in the world. In recent years, the coal industry has carried out the coal industry structure adjustment, emphasized clean coal technology development, put forth clean coal technology industry development strategy, and put coalbed methane development in preferential industry. At the same time, China has very little oil and natural gas resources. China has been incrementing natural gas development. Coalbed methane development and utilization can make up some of the shortage of natural gas resources, and result in atmospheric environmental benefits. Also, extracting coalmine methane prior to mining can improve mine safety. Thus, coalmine methane development can reach a mutually beneficial ground between environment and energy development, and realize sustainable development.

Throughout the two-day workshop, I think everyone will discover that China coalmine methane development has a good foundation and market. It is a rare commercial opportunity for Chinese and foreign investors. We need to utilize Chines and international advance technology to make a breakthrough and commercialize the coalbed methane industry.