China has whipped together a bunch of heavyweights from the country's economic and military sectors to intensify regulation and guidance of the country's fragmented energy industry.

A leading group headed by Premier Wen Jiabao has been established by the State Council to oversee macro leadership of the sector.

Previous energy-regulating administrations such as the Energy Bureau of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) remain unchanged to control the energy industry by examining industrial projects and supervising energy-affiliated activities.

Assisting Wen to boss the group are Vice-Premiers Huang Ju and Zeng Peiyan. The group members include 13 top leaders from the country's major ministries and administrations such as Minister of NDRC Ma Kai, Minister of Commerce Bo Xilai, Minister of Foreign Affairs Li Zhaoxing and Minister of the State Commission of Science, Technology and Industry for National Defence Zhang Yunchuan.

The leading group is responsible for research into major important issues involving the development blueprint, energy exploitation and conservation, security and emergency systems as well as international co-operation within the energy sector. It will offer proposals for the State Council to make policies for sustainably driving the industry.

The group will, if necessary, invite other official leaders and industry experts from China's major energy companies and research institutes to join in the research work.

Under the group is a 24-member execution office at the vice-ministry level to oversee the macro energy growth trends, organize research, and aid the leading group's administration.

The office director is Ma Kai, who still remains at his post heading the NDRC. Ma Fucai, former president of China National Petroleum Corp and Xu Dingming, director of NDRC's Energy Bureau, will act as the office's vice directors, a senior official from the energy bureau told the 2005 China Oil & Gas Forum on Monday.

(China Daily May 27, 2005)