Beijing’s robust commodity imports confound weak economy

FILE PHOTO: Labors work on a pile of iron ore at a steel factory in Tangshan in China's Hebei Province November 3, 2015. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon/File Photo

IN stark contrast to the ongoing weakness in China’s key manufacturing index, the imports of key commodities by the world’s second-biggest economy are roaring ahead.

China’s imports of crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), coal and iron ore were all stronger in the first two months of 2024 than for the same period last year. This is according to data from commodity analysts Kpler and LSEG Oil Research.