BEIJING, Nov. 25 (Xinhua) -- China Petrochemical
Corporation (Sinopec Group), one of the country's oil giants, will import
another 80,000 tons of diesel oil by the end of this month to help guarantee
domestic supplies.
The fuel will arrive in two cargoes, one going to the southern province of Guangdong and the other to the eastern
province of Zhejiang, according to the Guangdong-based New Express Daily.
The company has imported 383,000 tons of refined
products, including 90,000 tons of gasoline and 298,000 tons of diesel oil,
since September, said the report.
The company will still import another 316,000 tons of
refined products next month to ease domestic shortages. Sinopec was also likely
to purchase stockpiles from private domestic companies at international prices,
the report said.
The government has ordered oil companies to increase
production and imports to avoid emergency fuel shortages.
Shortages have eased since price hikes earlier this
month, but many regions still face a tight diesel market and many filling
stations are experiencing shortages.