China escalates imports of crude from United States

Analysts said on Tuesday they believe a dramatic surge in imports of US petroleum products into China in the current year is a win-win for the world's biggest trading partners.

China imported an average of 100,000 barrels of crude per day from the United States during the first five months of 2017, 10 times the level for the same period last year, according to official customs data.

The General Administration of Customs figures, released earlier this month, indicate the upward trend is also picking up speed, with imports surging to more than 180,000 barrels per day in April and May.