Beijing: For five years, China imported an average of 11.5 million barrels of oil per day. Since April, it has averaged just 8 million bpd. The speed at which China has slashed imports - shipments fell to 40% of pre-Iran war levels in June - has kept a lid on global prices and freed up cargoes for other countries.
Market observers are puzzled over how the world's biggest oil importer achieved that reduction and want to know how permanent the drop in demand is.
