China's crude oil imports jumped 25 percent last month from a year earlier as state refiners boosted fuel production to meet higher demand in southwestern regions rattled by the nation's strongest earthquake in 58 years.
Crude imports rose to 16.2 million metric tons in May, or about 3.8 million barrels a day, the Beijing-based Customs General Administration of China said on its Web site today. Last month's shipments were second only to the record 17.3 million tons imported in March.

The 7.9-maginitude temblor on May 12 killed about 70,000 people, damaged power lines and hampered transportation of coal. China Petrochemical Corp. and China National Petroleum Corp. ... Read full article