BEIJING: Russia overtook Saudi Arabia in December crude oil exports to China, becoming the largest supplier into the country for a fourth month in 2015, customs data showed on Tuesday.

China imported 4.81 million tonnes, or 1.13 million barrels per day of crude oil from Russia in December, 29 percent more than December 2014.

Imports from Saudi Arabia were down 1.2 percent in December versus a year earlier at 4.468 million tonnes, or about 1.05 million bpd.

Copyright Reuters, 2016