Development and Reform Commission: Adjusting Oil Prices Properly to Safeguard Supply

The National Development and Reform Commission announced on the 7th that the price of gasoline and diesel will increase by 300 yuan per ton from 02:00 on February 8. Why raise the price of oil? Has China's oil price been streamlined? When will the new refined oil pricing mechanism be introduced? Will the price of the relevant passenger transportation be adjusted? The reporter interviewed the relevant person in charge of the Development and Reform Commission.

Holidays factors postponed the time of price adjustment This person in charge said that due to the ease of debt crisis in Europe, coupled with the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, oil prices in the international market have continued to fluctuate soar this year. On January 4, the United States Texas crude oil (WTI) futures price rose to US$103.22 per barrel, up 37% from the lowest point in early October last year.

On February 2, the average price of three kinds of crude oil in the international market linked to domestic oil prices for 22 consecutive working days increased by more than 4% from the price cut on October 9 last year, and reached the boundary condition for domestic refined oil price adjustment. However, given that the Lantern Festival is approaching, the time for price adjustment is appropriately postponed.

Last year, the pressure of rising prices was largely unreasonable. According to the existing mechanism for the formation of domestic refined oil prices, the increase in domestic gasoline and diesel prices in 2011 should be around 20%, with an increase of 1,500 yuan per ton. However, taking into account the various factors such as the general upward pressure on prices, the country has adopted measures such as further tightening price increases and postponing price increases when adjusting domestic refined oil prices, so as to minimize the impact on downstream industries.

Last year, the price of domestic refined oil was adjusted only three times, and the prices of gasoline and diesel dropped by two to one. The accumulated price increased by 550 yuan and 450 yuan per ton, and the price increases were 6.4% and 5.8% respectively. At present, the price of crude oil in the international market corresponding to domestic refined oil prices is about US$92/barrel, which is equivalent to “regulating” the refined oil price by more than 1,000 yuan per ton.

The new pricing mechanism is demonstrating that the relevant passenger prices will not be adjusted. The person in charge said that recently, the Development and Reform Commission has conducted a summary assessment of the operation of the current refined oil price formation mechanism introduced at the end of 2008. Based on this, it further studied and put forward the finished product. The oil price reform and improvement plan mainly focuses on shortening the price adjustment cycle, accelerating the frequency of price adjustments, improving the operating mode of refined oil price adjustment, and adjusting the oil content of affiliated products, to further improve the existing product oil price formation mechanism. “Relevant reform measures are still in the process of demonstration. After all parties basically reach consensus, they plan to seek public opinions from the public,” said the responsible person.

In order to ensure that the market price is basically stable and prevent chain prices, the Development and Reform Commission stated that there is no adjustment to the prices of railway passenger transport, urban public transport, and rural road passenger transport (including inter-island and rural waterway passenger transport) that are closely related to the residents' lives. At the same time, the country will continue to support grain-growing farmers (including offshore fishing), forestry, urban public transport, and rural road passenger transport, in accordance with the subsidies for grain farmers and other difficult groups and public welfare industries established during the comprehensive reform of oil prices in 2006. (Including inter-island and rural waterway passenger transport) subsidies and temporary subsidies to the taxi industry.