China Endures Worsening Electricity Shortages In Name Of Punishing Australia
Coal is among the latest in a growing list of major Australian exports hit by severe restrictions in China, also including commodities like cotton, timber wine, lobster, and barley. While Chinese citizens might be able to forgo luxuries for a while like Aussie wine as well as lobster, coal is quite another thing especially given the country is currently facing a broad coal shortage.
Here’s how Chinese state media publication Sixth Tone described it:
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.
Entire provinces are taking the surprise step of limiting industrial power and even cutting heating in government offices, expected to take effect Dec.11, according to the publication. This also includes limits imposed on entertainment and shopping venues like malls and move theaters, which is impacting their hours of operation.
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.
The restrictions have reportedly left dozens of coal-laden ships idling off China’s ports:
…click on the above link to read the rest of the article…
