Inner Mongolian Western Coal Trading Center signed a major contract concerning the purchase and sale of more than 20 million tons of coal on Dec 22, according to Baotou Daily.

The medium and long-term contract was witnessed by a coal trading conference attended by more than 100 business representatives in Tumd Right Banner, a banner under the administration of Baotou, Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

The representatives were from businesses covering various areas including coal production, coal trading, and transportation.

Themed around “Cooperation and Mutual Benefits, Innovation and Development”, the conference aimed to boost coal trading in the autonomous region with the development of an online trading platform launched by Inner Mongolian Western Coal Trading Center in August, and develop Tumd Right Banner into a coal trading base in the western area of the autonomous region.

The conference is one of the most important events for coal trading taking place in the autonomous region, alongside a coal trading conference that had its first meeting in Ordos, in 2015.