KIEV, July 30 - Parliament on Monday approved state guarantees on a $3.66 billion loan from China Development Bank aimed at boosting domestic coal industry to reduce imports of natural gas from Russia.

Lawmakers, at an emergency session, voted to amend the 2012 budget by increasing the amount of money earmarked to cover the loan – and interest payments - to 44 billion hryvnias ($5.5 billion) from 15 billion hryvnias.