Crude oil imports to increase this year

Crude oil imports are likely to go up by 9.1 percent this year to 212 million tons, according to a report from oil and gas producer China National Petroleum Corp (CNPC).

Net oil imports, including crude and refined oil products, may rise 8.3 percent to 234 million tons, said the report released by the Research Institute of Economics and Technology of CNPC.

Analysts said it was inevitable that crude imports would increase, as existing output cannot keep pace with surging domestic demand.