Their total profits stood at 8.4 trillion yuan in this period, down 4 percent from a year earlier, the NBS data revealed.

Leveraging advantages, inland areas grab competition from big industries.

This year, Inner Mongolia will also step up the clean and efficient use of coal, Wang said.

China aims to have its CO2 emissions peak before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060.

The daily crude steel output stood at 1.93 million tonnes in early January, according to the China Iron and Steel Association.

Its output growth rates over the past two years far exceeded that of the three leading coal-producing regions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia.

China's raw coal output posted stable expansion in December 2022, official data showed.

China launched an energy revolution pilot program in Shanxi in 2019, promoting the coal-rich province to explore energy transition.