(Yicai Global) Sept. 7 -- China continued to raise its crude oil imports last month while global energy prices slumped as the Covid-19 pandemic dried up world demand.

China imported 368 million tons of crude over the first eight months, up 12.1 percent from the same period last year, as the average import price during the period moved down 30.1 percent, data the General Administration of Customs released today show.

The country's natural gas imports also climbed 3.3 percent to 65.07 million tons over the period.

China imported 47.48 million tons of crude and 9.36 million tons of natural gas last month.

Editor: Ben Armour