Beijing: China’s oil imports from Russia increased 55% in May, customs data showed on Monday. The West has sanctioned fuel imports from Moscow against invasion of Ukraine.
As Beijing refused to condemn the Moscow war, the world’s second-largest economy imported about 8.42 million tonnes of oil from Russia last month, surpassing shipments from Saudi Arabia.
Last week, President Xi Jinping assured Vladimir Putin of China’s support for Russia’s “sovereignty and security,” and Beijing also provided Moscow with diplomatic cover by blasting western sanctions and arms sales to Kieu. Was accused of doing so.
Customs data occur four months after the war, and other buyers are avoiding Russia’s energy imports.
This number was also a surge from 5.44 million tonnes imported by China in May 2021, helping Russia overtake Saudi Arabia as China’s main oil source, according to customs officials’ statistics.
Earlier this month, China’s state media said Beijing was willing to “strengthen strategic coordination between the two countries.”
The Kremlin said the two leaders had agreed to strengthen economic cooperation in the face of “illegal” western sanctions.
Western countries have adopted unprecedented sanctions against Russia in retaliation for the invasion of Ukraine, and Moscow is looking for new markets and suppliers to replace major foreign companies that have left Russia after the invasion.
