China's coal export increased 249,000 tons to 5.066 million tons in June this year, ending the declining trend since May 2006, according to the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC).

The nation's output of coal reached 201.3 million tons in June, up 7 percent year-on-year.

The commission said the coal shipment costs by sea and producer prices remained basically stable last month while the consumer prices in the nation's major markets went up about five yuan per ton.

China's coal production rose 7.1 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2007 to fuel its double digit economic growth. The coal output increased by 72.55 million tons to 1.102 billion tons between January and June, according to the NDRC.

China is the world's second largest energy consumer after the United States. The nation's rapid economic growth has expanded the demand for energy resources including oil and coal. Coal accounted for around two third of the primary energy consumption in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency July 23)