Comment by carefree-bob

Your link shows a wavy curve of coal use that has an upward trend. I think your graph does prove my point.

Here is longer term data also: https://www.worldometers.info/coal/china-coal/#history

China is using more coal than ever before. But it's not monotone up, there is such a thing as a business cycle as well as global commodity price swings that add noise. Certainly when there is a contraction in manufacturing or high coal prices, firms will substitute away to other goods, or similarly when we have the oil shortages now, you can bet that coal use is increasing to compensate.

But despite all that there is a marked upward trend.

> This does not match the observed reality.

It matches the observed reality, yes. China spent half a billion Yuan to increase oil production, which it did. China increased coal production. China increased nuclear production. China increased wind and solar.

Name one form of energy that China is not increasing?