Premier Li Keqiang (1st R) rides in a tramcar as he inspects the Guandi mine of Xishan Coal Electricity Group Co.Ltd, in North China's Shanxi province, Jan 5, 2016. [Photo/Chinanews Service]

Before getting on the train, Li greeted scores of miners who had just finished the night shift and were about to change out of their dusty uniforms. After a 12-hour shift, the workers, whose faces were nearly half-black with coal dust, stood around the premier.

Li encouraged them to have confidence in the coal market, although current prospects are not looking so good.

"Coal mining still serves as Shanxi's pillar industry. About 60 to 70 percent of the energy that the country requires for its development comes from coal mines," Li said.