Sating resource appetite

Securing stable, long-term oil supply is paramount and will drive China's foreign policy over the coming decades

An appetite for resources has long been a key determinant of Chinese foreign policy and recent figures detailing China's crude imports have posed further daunting geopolitical challenges over how China can ensure its oil supply.

China's crude oil imports leapt 31 percent in April, compared with the previous year, to hit a record 5.15 million barrels per day, reinforcing the likelihood of China surpassing Japan as the world's second largest net oil importer in 2010.