JAKARTA: Indonesia is China’s biggest overseas supplier of coal, with shipments hitting a record last month after Beijing loosened curbs on imports to tackle its power crisis.

       Cargoes of coking, thermal and brown coal surpassed 21 million tonnes in September, from 17 million tonnes in August, and now account for about two-thirds of China’s total imports, according to customs data.

       Chinese buyers have been forced to tap other suppliers of the fuel to replace Australian exports banned almost a year ago after political relations with Canberra soured.

       But hopes that Mongolia could supply more coal – particularly the higher quality produced by Australia and used by steel mills –were dashed as pandemic restrictions in China’s neighbour saw cargoes sink below one million tonnes. — Bloomberg