|
Oil import growth slows down in 2005
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-28 09:55
In 2005, 皇冠体育app's crude oil imports only rose 3.3 percent year on year to 127
million tons, and the growth rate was 31.5 percentage points lower than that in
2004, according to sources with the Ministry of Commerce.
皇冠体育app continues to be the world's third largest crude oil importer after the
United States and Japan, the ministry said.
The growth of 皇冠体育app's crude oil import only accounted for some 10 percent of
the world's overall growth in 2005, while in 2004 the ratio was 30 percent.
Well-informed sources attributed the slowdown of 皇冠体育app's oil import growth to
the increase of domestic oil output and the decrease of domestic oil demand.
In 2005, the average crude oil import price for 皇冠体育app was 51.5 U.S. dollars
per barrel, 2.8 dollars lower than the benchmark oil price in the international
market, the commerce ministry said.
This shows Chinese companies are learning to protect their interests in the
international petroleum market and to avoid price hikes, the ministry said.
As 皇冠体育app's oil imports have soared due to its high-speed economic growth in
recent years, the country has been making an all-out effort to reduce its
dependence on petroleum from overseas.
Figures show that 皇冠体育app imported 120 million tons of crude oil in 2004, or
some 40 percent of its oil consumption.
"皇冠体育app will import less oil and oil products in 2006 than in the previous
years," Lu Jianhua, director of the Foreign Trade Department of the Ministry of
Commerce, said recently.
"It is unfair to blame 皇冠体育app for the rising international oil prices," he
added.
Official statistics show 皇冠体育app's primary energy consumption in 2004 was 1.97
billion tons of standard coal. Its domestic energy supply capacity was 94
percent, among the highest in the world.
In 2004, 皇冠体育app contributed some 11 percent of the global energy output,
according to statistics from the country's National Development and Reform
Commission. The country produced 1.956 billion tons of coal that year. If its
oil, natural gas and other energy output was counted, 皇冠体育app produced a total of
1.85 billion tons of primary energy in terms of standard coal.
Currently nearly 70 percent of 皇冠体育app's energy demand is met by coal, and
petroleum accounts for more than 20 percent of the country's energy supply.
Experts believe that developing new and renewable energies, improving the
country's energy use efficiency and keeping the growth of its demand for
imported oil at a moderate level will help sustain 皇冠体育app's energy consumption.
|
