The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the State Administration of Work Safety and the State Administration of Coal Mine Safety jointly issued a circular, requiring local governments stop approving coalmine projects with annual output below 300,000 tons each, suspend construction of coalmines with annual output being 30,000 tons and below and stop receiving applications for coal prospecting right.

   The circular requires immediate suspension of projects that are not endorsed and those that run against industrial policies and development plans.