On your question of coal reduction - a major part of the coal reduction strategy is small plants - those mainly used in winter or for other reasons of tight heat / electricity demand. They are incredibly inefficient, being wiped out at a vast rate, and couple with poor quality coal (stuff like 3000 calorie, high sulfur, dusty) from small dangerous mines, but... these are probably coincidental to the article's statistics, as this coal usage is largely off the officially reported map.
I agree this could be a leading indicator. The article paints no indication if the change is for steam coal (5000-6000 calorie) or coking (8000 calorie, for example alumimium production - industrial use), and neither indicates if a change is influenced by seasonal or seasonally affected policies. It does mention a fall in imports, but imported coal prices are under the reign of the NDRC, therefore directly influence import rates (Australia / Indonesia export flows would probably be more reliable indicators for China import).
What seems clear, though, is that Xi Jinping is pushing a lot of change in a lot of areas.
This is why as an Australian I mourn at the way we've approached mining and carbon emission reduction. We've consistently treated the issue as though we'll be able to export coal to China in perpetuity, and are not in the midst of a short-term boom which absolutely will not last. Tellingly, a year after the debate on whether to tax profits of mining companies more highly ended, all the mining companies are now cutting jobs amidst falling exports to China.
Sure - you can blame the economy. But it's also pretty obvious China is not going to be okay with the situation of being literally unable to breathe the air in Shanghai long term, and the dependence of the economy on this one industrial sector (to the utterly negligent exclusion of any interest in others) is insane.
I agree this could be a leading indicator. The article paints no indication if the change is for steam coal (5000-6000 calorie) or coking (8000 calorie, for example alumimium production - industrial use), and neither indicates if a change is influenced by seasonal or seasonally affected policies. It does mention a fall in imports, but imported coal prices are under the reign of the NDRC, therefore directly influence import rates (Australia / Indonesia export flows would probably be more reliable indicators for China import).
What seems clear, though, is that Xi Jinping is pushing a lot of change in a lot of areas.