http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFTOE67A07320100811

China reiterated on Wednesday that it remained the world's No.2 energy user with last year's consumption more than 200 million tonnes of standard oil equivalent below that of the United States, the official Xinhua news agency reported.

China consumed 2.146 billion tonnes of oil equivalent last year, versus 2.382 billion tonnes used by the United States, according to U.S. energy department figures, Xinhua said, citing a joint statement from China's top energy agency and statistical bureau.
"China is in the process of rapid industrialisation and urbanisation. Total energy consumption growth has slowed year by year, thanks to energy conservation and emission reduction measures," the report said.
However, the figure differed from the 2.265 billion tonnes of oil equivalent reported last month by the International Energy Agency, which said China had already outpaced the U.S. by 4.4 percent. The IEA estimated U.S. consumption at 2.169 billion tonnes.
According to the latest IEA figures, China's energy use has doubled since 2000, while that of the United States has fallen slightly. [ID:nTOE66J02Y] (Reporting by Chen Aizhu; Editing by Chris Lewis)