China's oil product imports more than doubled in 2008: state media

China's imports of oil products more than doubled last year as the nation's own producers were forced to scale down their activity, state media reported Tuesday.

By Space Travel Editorial Team · Editorial process

Published January 26, 2009

China's imports of oil products more than doubled last year as the nation's own producers were forced to scale down their activity, state media reported Tuesday.

Beijing imported 14.7 million tonnes of oil products, including gasoline, diesel oil and kerosene, in 2008, up 107.4 percent from the year before, the Xinhua news agency said, citing the China Petroleum and Chemical Association.

China had to import more after domestic oil product companies cut or halted their operations, Xinhua said.

The firms made the move because local price controls prevented them from passing on the cost of soaring international crude oil prices to consumers, according to the agency.

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