Q1 crude imports jump 35.7%

First quarter crude imports in China jumped 35.7% year-on-year to 30.14 million tons, according to state media reports citing China's customs bureau. Spurred by rapidly rising oil demand, China's crude imports reached 91.1 million tons in 2003. China's Ministry of Commerce released a report in March stating that it projected net imports of crude oil to exceed 100 million tons this year. Chinese oil demand has helped drive the price of crude oil to a thirteen-year high.