The latest statistics from the General Administration of Customs shows China imported 120 million tons of crude oil in 2004. That is a year-on-year leap of 34.8 percent.

The statistics also finds China's imports of primary products have been spiraling up in 2004. 117.29 billion USD worth of primary products was shipped to China in 2004. The 61.2 percent surge is 13.5 percent faster than the previous year. Primary products account for 20.9 percent of the total imports in 2004, 3.3 percentage higher than the previous year.

The order on 210 million tons of iron ore represented a jump of 40.5 percent, The country bought 6.76 million tons of vegetable oil and 20.23 million tons of soybean from its trade partners, a rise of 24.9 percent and a decline of 2.5 percent respectively.

Last year the delivery of industrial manufactured products to China was worth nearly 441 USD which was up 30.6 percent. The growth rate was slower than the previous year by 7.7 percentage points.

In 2004 imports of electrical and electronic products valued more than 142 billion USD and those of mechanic equipment 91.62 billion USD, an increase of 36.7 percent and 28.2 percent respectively.

China also purchased 176,000 units of autos, up 2.1 percent, and 29.3 million tons of steel sheets, down 21.2 percent last year.

By People's Daily Online