China, the world's second-biggest oil consumer, increased crude imports last month to a record high as refineries raised processing rates and oil prices declined.

The country bought a net 25.3 million metric tonnes of crude oil, or 5.98 million barrels a day, more than the 180,000 tonnes it exported last month, according to data published yesterday on the website of the Beijing-based General Administration of Customs.

The previous high was 5.87 million barrels a day in February.

The jump in oil purchases helped spur a 12.7-per-cent gain for the nation's imports last month, exceeding economists' estimates.

Refineries boosted processing rates as some facilities resumed operations after scheduled maintenance while Brent oil in London entered a so-called bear market on June 1 after sliding more than 20 per cent from this year's peak.

"International crude oil prices have been falling in the past two months, so more crude was probably shipped in to fill commercial and state emergency stockpiles" as prices could rise again, said Mr Gong Jinshuang, a senior engineer at China National Petroleum, the nation's biggest oil company.

Purchases cost an average US$120 a barrel, compared with about US$123 in April, Bloomberg calculations from the customs data showed.

Utilisation rates at the nation's biggest refineries rebounded to the highest level in 16 weeks at 86.3 per cent of capacity as of May 24, according to Oilchem.net.

China's net fuel imports were 1.39 million tonnes last month, compared with 1.36 million in April.

The country bought 3.47 million tonnes and exported 2.08 million.

TODAY