Chinese Coal Industry

The coal industry has been and continues to be of critical importance for China's economic modernization. With its huge labour force country-wide infrastructure and vital strategic importance for the economy the industry presents special problems for reformers and epitomises the problems of reform in the state industrial sector as a whole. This book examines the changes in the structure and operation of the Chinese coal industry from the mid-19th century to the present concentrating on the years of reform. Although the focus is on the economics of the industry the book also provides many insights into China's socio-political development.