As the world’s second largest economy, China’s crude oil imports rose to 25.61 million metric tons, surpassing those of U.S., according to the General Administration of Customs. However, communist leaders believe that it is a weakness to be relying heavily on Saudi Arabia and Iran for imports for political reasons. There are also environmental ramification with the result of increase in oil imports for cars, factories, etc; cities are with pollution and smog.

Oil imports into China have risen “as a result of expansion in the economy and its growing demand for resources,” customs spokesman Zheng Yuesheng said at a briefing in Beijing today.

China is also the top world’s top buyer of commodities like copper, iron ore, soybeans and  coal. As a result of economic growth, auto-ownership has increased (Sales of vehicles rose 11%), thus leading to a high demand of oil imports.

Citation:

n.p. Bloomberg News. China’s Crude Oil Imports Increase to Record as Economy Expands. Web 12 October 2013. 

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-10-12/china-s-crude-oil-imports-increase-to-record-as-economy-expands

Tan, Florence. Aizhu, Chen. Update 1- China to ramp up overseas M&A as it overtakes U.S. as top crude importer. Web 11 October 2013.

http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/10/11/china-oil-idINL4N0I12UZ20131011

McDonald, Joe. China passes U.S. as world’s biggest oil importer. Web 10 October 2013.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/10/china-passes-us-oil-imports_n_4076857.html