Gas to stay on tap all through winter

Natural gas demand for residential use will be guaranteed during the upcoming winter heating season despite the tight gas supply, according to the nation's top economic regulator.

More than 120 billion cubic meters of natural gas will be distributed nationwide during the winter heating season, with 40 percent for residential use, Meng Wei, a spokeswoman for the National Development and Reform Commission, said at a news conference in Beijing on Wednesday.

According to Meng, the government, together with China's oil and gas companies, have been pushing forward with the construction of a natural gas production, supply, storage and marketing system.