Some Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Sound Development of the Coal Industry
Some Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Sound Development of the Coal Industry
Some Opinions of the State Council on Promoting the Sound Development of the Coal Industry
Guo Fa [2005] No. 18
June 7, 2005
The people's governments of all provinces, autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the Central Government, the ministries and commissions of the State Council, and institutions directly under the State Council:
Coal, which is an important fundamental energy source and raw material of our country, and plays an important strategic role in the national economy, will be the main energy source in the primary energy structure of our country for a long time. From the opening and reform, the coal industry has rapidly developed, its output is on continuous increase, its production technical level is gradually enhanced, the work safety conditions of coal mines are also improved, and the coal industry has played an important role in the national economy and social development. However, there still exist many prominent problems in the development of the coal industry, such as the illogical structure, extensive growth pattern, low scientific and technological level, recurring safety accidents, serious waste of resources, retarded environmental control as well as many other problems left over by history. Along with the development of national economy, the demand on coal is on the rise, therefore the resources, environment and safety pressure will be further increased. In order to promote the continuous, stable and sound development of the coal industry and guarantee the requirements for developing the national economy, the following opinions are hereby put forward:
I. Guiding Thoughts, Development Targets and Basic Principles
1. Guiding thoughts. It is imperative to take the Deng Xiaoping Theory and the important thoughts of Three Represents as the guidance, fully carry into effect the scientific approach of development, rely on the scientific and technological progress and adhere to the coal industry's development pattern of high utilization rate of resources, safety and safeguarding, good economic benefits and little environmental pollution, and sustainable development. The work safety of coal mines shall always be on top of all works, and the construction of large-scale coal bases and the cultivation of large-scale coal enterprises and enterprise groups shall be the mainstream. Pursuant to the requirements for the overall arrangement of collaborative development of the coal industry and other relevant industries, the overall arrangement of collaborative development of the coal exploitation and the ecological environment, the overall arrangement of collaborative development of the economy of mines and the regional economy, a new type of coal industrial system suitable for the socialist market economic mechanism shall be built, the continuous, stable and sound development of the coal industry shall be realized, and the construction of a conservation-minded society shall be accelerated so as to provide reliable energy resources for building a well-off society in an all-round way.
2. Development targets. From 2005, three to five years shall be used to build a well-regulated coal resource exploitation order, build large-scale coal bases, engender several large-scale coal enterprises and enterprise groups with the production capacity of more than a hundred million tons, largely improve the basic safety conditions of coal mines, effectively control the gas of coal mines, effectively control the recurring tendency of major and utterly serious accidents, evidently make the work safety of coal mines more favorable, basically control the aggravating tendency of the ecological environment of mining areas and gradually perfect the system of coal regulations and policies. Another five years or so shall be used to establish a resources exploitation supervision system with the emphasis on the rational protection and reinforced saving, a coal supply system composed mainly of large-scale coal bases and large-scale coal enterprise groups, a work safety security system with the emphasis of reinforced management and input and with the support of advanced technologies, a recycling economic system focusing on the processing and transformation of coal, the comprehensive utilization of resources and the environmental control of mines, as well as a monitoring system of regulations and policies based on the Law of the People's Republic of China on the Coal Industry and the Law of the People's Republic of China on Mineral Resources.
3. Basic principles. The principle of combining the persistence in developing advanced production capacity and elimination of outdated production capacity shall be followed. On one hand, the construction of modern large-scale coal bases shall be accelerated, large-scale coal enterprises and enterprise groups shall be fostered and the recombination, combination and reorganization of medium and small coal mines shall be promoted; on the other hand, those small coal mines that are not rationally distributed or that do not meet the work safety conditions or that waste resources or destroy the ecological environment shall be closed according to law. The principle of combining temporary solution with permanent cure shall be insisted on so as to exert the strength to solve those prominent problems that affect the sound development of the coal industry, and at the same time, the perfection of the monitoring system of regulations and policies shall be accelerated, and the entry conditions for exploring and developing coal sources shall be enhanced. The guidelines of safety first and precaution crucial and the principle of comprehensive control shall be adhered to so as to make various elements, such as the safety culture, safety legal system, safety responsibilities, safety science and technologies and safety investment of coal mines, be in place. The principle of combining the guidance and support by the State with the independent development by enterprises shall be adhered to. In other words, the State shall not only help enterprises solve problems left over by history and create a fair and competitive market environment for the development of enterprises, but also shall respect the independent development right of the enterprises. The principle of combining the system reform and mechanism innovation shall be stuck to so as to promote the coal enterprises to establish a well-regulated modern enterprise system, establish an incentive and restriction mechanism that can guarantee work safety, promote the sound development and improve the vigor and competitiveness of enterprises. The principle of combining the exploitation of coal, regional economy and social development shall be insisted on, the coal resources shall be properly explored and utilized, the combination of the coal industry with the electrical, metallurgical and chemical industries and other related industries as well as the local transformation of coal shall be promoted to stimulate the local economy and harmonious development of the society.
II. Strengthening Planning and Administration, and Improving the Exploitation Supervision System of Coal Resources
4. Strengthening the planning administration of coal resources. The coal resources are important strategic resources, therefore the administrative pattern shall be improved so as to realize the transformation of scientific and rational exploitation and protective and intensive administration from the extensive exploitation administration. The nationally planned mining areas of coal resources and mining areas that are important to the national economy shall be determined in a lawful, scientific and rational manner, and the exploitation shall be orderly conducted in strict accordance with the state plans. The nationally planned mining areas of coal resources and the mining areas that are important to the national economy shall be studied and determined by the Ministry of Land and Resources, and be jointly deliberated and promulgated together with the National Development and Reform Commission. A strategic storage system of coal resources shall be established, and protective exploitation shall be conducted to the special and rare coal categories.
5. Improving the administrative system of management, production and exploitation of coal resources The development and reform (or the coal industry) administrative departments at all levels shall strengthen their supervision and administration of exploitation and construction of coal mines and the coal production by comprehensively using coal development plans, industrial policies, laws and regulations.
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