The reports, based on a National Development and Reform Commission report, say that the coal output increase is a sharp drop on the increase last year.

This lower than expected coal production forecast – if true – could be a boon for the seaborne coal market.

Opening the National People’s Congress, Chinese Premier Wen Jiaboa reportedly said Beijing was aiming for a 7.5% economic growth rate this year.

That is a step down from the 8% target China has held for the past eight years.

This could be purely a moot point though because the country’s actual economic growth has outstripped the target in recent years. Last year China’s gross domestic product grew 9.2%.

China also is reportedly working on making changes to how it prices power to “better reflect” the price of coal.