China will further alter coke export policy to limit the export quantity, an official said at a recent half-year coke industry operation conference.

   China, a major coke exporter in the world, exported 14.5 million tons coke in 2006, accounting for less than 5 percent of its gross sales.

   Houshi Guo, director of the department in charge of industrial policy under the National Development and Reform Commission, said that China tends to reduce the coke export as much as possible, as coke industry causes disastrous environmental problems.

   At present, China limits coke export mainly through two channels, export rebate rate and quota system. However, the coke export amount maintains 15 million tons in recent years.

   China hopes to reduce the coke export to 5~6 million tons.