From RADIO FREE EUROPE/ RADIO LIBERTY:
Since economic reforms began in 1978, China’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has expanded at an average rate of over 9 percent per year. However this economic success has been accompanied by a series of energy concerns — insufficient energy supply, heavy reliance on coal despite its negative environmental impact, and a low level of energy efficiency. These issues are becoming increasingly pressing as Beijing plans to quadruple its GDP within the next 15 years.