OREANDA-NEWS. May 05, 2011. Kuwait's crude oil exports to China rose 13.3 percent in March from the previous month to 728,000 tons, equivalent to around 172,000 barrels per day (bpd), the latest government data showed.

Kuwait provided 3.4 percent of China's total crude oil imports, compared with 4.5 percent in the same month of last year and 3.2 percent in February, according to the General Administration of Customs. On a yearly basis, Kuwaiti March shipments to the world's biggest oil consumer fell 23.0 percent.

China's overall imports of crude oil in March grew 2.9 percent from a year earlier to 5.13 million bpd. Saudi Arabia remained China's top supplier with its shipments surging 34.7 percent on the year to 1.03 million bpd, followed by Angola with 688,000 bpd, down 36.4 percent. Iran became third, with imports from the country rising 5.6 percent to 554,000 bpd.