CHINA Coal Energy Co, the nation's second-largest coal producer by sales, said it acquired 100 percent of China Coal Shanxi Dongpo Coal Co from a unit of its parent for 1.33 billion yuan (US$190 million) to tap the nation's rising energy demand.

China Coal said profit in the first quarter of this year rose 36 percent to 1.41 billion yuan, it said yesterday. Sales rose 39.4 percent to 11.3 billion yuan, the Beijing-based firm said in a statement.