Gasoline stocks rose 3.2 percent from December to 8.9 million tonnes, while kerosene inventory rose 10 percent to 2.43 million tonnes, a record level for both.

Diesel stocks rose 6 percent to 7.66 million tonnes, the highest level since June.

Total fuel inventory rose to 18.97 million tonnes in January, from 18.02 million tonnes in December.

Supplies of diesel and gasoline built up in January as refineries ramped out production amid robust margins, a manager with a Shandong-based refinery said.

China did not publish January's refinery runs as well as commodities production data.

Crude oil inventory rose to 27.34 million tonnes, from 26.98 million tonnes at the end of December.

China imported a record volume of crude oil in January, boosted by stockpiling from refineries.

Xinhua did not provide the outright inventory volumes.

The government rarely discloses levels of either commercial

or strategic oil stocks, making it difficult to gauge real demand in the world's second-largest oil consumer.