Imports of energy products climb

China imported 240 million tons of major energy commodities - oil, refined products, natural gas and coal - in the first 11 months of last year, up 3.7 percent year on year, a report released yesterday by the General Administration of Customs showed.

The growth rate was 9.7 percentage points below the year-earlier level. These imports were valued at US$158.6 billion, up 74 percent, and they accounted for 14.9 percent of total imports for the 11 months. High world coal prices turned China from a net coal importer to a net exporter. In the first 11 months last year, China exported 2.86 million tons of coal against imports of 781,000 tons.