Premier says accelerate

For much of its modern history, the development of natural gas as a major energy source did not appear a credible, or even desirable, option in China. Even as late as the 1980s, the government was proclaiming coal as energy king; coal was cheap and reserves were plentiful. In addition, China had developed a large-scale oil industry. The widespread utilisation of natural gas appeared little more than an unnecessary and expensive luxury.