China's imports of coal and liquefied natural gas in August slipped from record highs posted in the preceding month, as buyers slowed shipments towards the end of the peak
summer demand season, data from China Customs Statistics (CCS) showed on Wednesday.
China imported 16.59 million tonnes of coal in August, down 5.4 percent from the previous month, CCS data showed. Exports for the month stood at 1.25 million tonnes.
Imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) stood at 1.05 million tonnes, down slightly from the record 1.18 million tonnes recorded in July. Imports of the super-cooled gas reached 7.41 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2011 -- up 27.9 percent from a year ago, the data showed.
The price of LNG paid averaged at about $9.50 per mmBtu in August, the highest this year, according to Reuters calculations based on CCS data.
The data also showed China was a net diesel importer in August for the third month this year, with imports jumping over 56 percent from July to 250,000 tonnes, but exports at 210,000 tonnes.
PetroChina , China's second-largest state refiner, made a rare purchase of two diesel cargoes for September to replenish thinning domestic stocks after heavy regular maintenance and refinery accidents cut production.
Fuel oil imports stood at 2.24 million tonnes in August, while exports were at 1.02 million tonnes.
China's soybean imports stood at 4.51 million tonnes in August.
Detailed import figures will be released by the China customs office later on Wednesday.