The government will set up a national leading group to oversee China's energy industry but is unlikely to establish a ministry of energy "within the foreseeable future".

"There is no timetable on forming an energy ministry," said Minister of Water Resources Wang Shucheng in an interview.

Experts agreed with the central government's decision but said "the step was far from enough."

Wang himself has been calling for such a ministry for some time. He believes energy is of such importance in China's development that the State Council should have a special ministry to oversee it with total assets of more than 10 trillion yuan (1.2 trillion US dollars).