China's 2019 annual crude imports set record for 17th year

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - China's crude oil imports in 2019 surged 9.5% from a year earlier, setting a record for a 17th straight year, as demand growth from new refineries built last year propelled purchases by the world's biggest importer, data showed on Tuesday. Last year, China imported a record 506 million tonnes of crude oil, 9.5% above 2018's level, according to data from the General Administration of Customs. That is equivalent to 10.12 million barrels per day (bpd), according to Reuters'..