Crude oil imports through Manzhouli Port, the largest land port in China, surpassed 3 million tons for the first time, according to figures recently released by the Manzhouli Customs House.

Manzhouli Port, in north China's Inner Mongolia, imported 3.06 million tons of crude oil in the first 11 months of this year, representing a year-on-year increase of 115 percent.

A local customs officer cited China's growing demand for oil, a result of continuous and fast economic development, as the main reason for sharp increases in oil imports.

Russia, endowed with rich oil and gas resources, has turned into the second leading oil exporter in the world. Moreover, Russia is a close neighbor of China and a nation forging strategic partnership of cooperation with China.

Therefore, experts said, energy cooperation between the two countries is an important part in promoting bilateral relationship.

Manzhouli, the largest land port on the Sino-Russian border, is equipped with highly-developed railway and highway systems. Oil imports from Russia to China via Manzhouli travel a short distance, sell at a cheap price and can be quickly delivered.