Shanghai Petrochem reveals more Russia oil buying as Li Qiang visits

Executive stresses 'price' is key; Chinese premier cements economic ties with Putin

20240822 russian oil

Oil pump jacks outside Almetyevsk in the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia, in June 2023. Figures from the Middle East suggest Shanghai Petrochem now sources 10% of its crude from Russia. © Reuters

KENJI KAWASE, Nikkei Asia chief business news correspondent

HONG KONG -- Sinopec Shanghai Petrochemical, one of the largest crude oil buyers in China, revealed on Thursday that it purchased a substantial amount from Russia in the first half of 2024, just as Chinese Premier Li Qiang happened to be on an official visit to Moscow.

Du Jun, vice president and chief financial officer of Shanghai Petrochem, said during an interim results briefing in Hong Kong that the company had bought 620,000 tonnes of Russian crude during the first six months -- after buying zero in the same period of last year.

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