BEIJING– China’s gasoline exports fell
for the very first time last year because 2012, as fuel need shrank
internationally after governments enforced travel limitations to
consist of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Exports of gasoline from China, the world’s second-largest
oil consumer, were 16 million tonnes last year, down 2.3%from
2019’s level though still well above 2018’s 12.9 million tonnes,
data from the General Administration of Customs released on
Monday showed.
Exports in December were 1.45 million tonnes, down 16.5%
from the exact same month a year back, information revealed.
Diesel exports were also weak in 2020, down 7.6%from a year
earlier at 19.76 million tonnes, with December shipments at 1.49
million tonnes.
Need for jet kerosene was hit hardest by the pandemic as
numerous thousands of international flights were canceled.
Exports of the fuel were 9.98 million tonnes in 2020, down 43.4%
from a year ago.
Having emerged quicker from the preliminary impact of the
pandemic, China has actually been leading the healing in oil demand, as
it unwinded domestic travel restrictions and factory output
rose.
Customs data on Monday also showed that imports of liquefied
natural gas (LNG) in 2020 struck a record 67.13 million tonnes,
