China's crude oil imports from Russia soared 55% from a year earlier to a record level in May as refiners cashed in on discounted supplies amid sanctions on Moscow over its military operation in Ukraine.
Customs data released on Monday also showed China imported 260,000 tonnes of Iranian crude oil last month, its third shipment of Iran oil since last December, confirming an earlier Reuters report.
Despite US sanctions on Iran, China has kept taking Iranian oil, usually passed off as supplies from other countries. The import levels are roughly equivalent to 7% of China's total crude oil imports.
Imports of Russian oil, including supplies pumped via the East Siberia Pacific Ocean pipeline and seaborne shipments from Russia's European and Far Eastern ports, totaled nearly 8.42 million tons, according to data from the Chinese General Administration of Customs.
That's equivalent to roughly 1.98 million barrels per day (bpd) and up a quarter from 1.59 million bpd in April, the Reuters news agency reported.
China's overall crude oil imports rose nearly 12% in May from a low base a year earlier to 10.8 million bpd, versus the 2021 average of 10.3 million bpd.
MA/PR