BEIJING - China's coal production capacity will exceed its output target by at least 16 percent by 2010, a development that would raise doubts about Beijing's energy-efficiency plans, state media reported.

Coal production capacity will top 3.1 billion tonnes by 2010, 500 million tonnes more than the government's plan, the report said, citing data from the coal mine safety administration.

"The central government is strengthening its energy saving and pollution reduction efforts, but relevant rules and regulations are loosely enforced by local governments," Dai was quoted as saying in the China Business News newspaper. "Existing policies and enforcement are insufficient to cope with problems and challenges in the energy sector."

More than 70 percent of China's energy needs are met by burning dirty coal.