Resolve to shift to clean fuel must not waver

Editor's note: The government's plan to use gas, instead of coal, for public heating in North China to reduce air pollution has caused a shortage in natural gas supply in northern cities, leaving thousands of residents shivering in the winter. This has sparked a debate on the unprecedented campaign to replace coal with gas as well as on what China's future energy policies should be. Three experts share their views on the issue with China Daily's Yao Yuxin. Excerpts follow:

Gas shortage is just a short-term problem

The shift from coal to gas for heating is a natural consequence of China's graduation from a low-income to a middle-income country. The rising public call for clean air has prompted the government to expedite the pace of this shift, leading to a shortage of natural gas this winter.