*China imported a quarterly record of 5.61mn b/d from Middle East countries in Q1 (see chart). This is up 9% from the previous quarter, despite the country’s overall imports at 10.42mn b/d remaining well down on the record quarterly figures set a year earlier. As such the Mideast share of the China import market rose to a 14-year high 54% (see table for full data). Monthly imports from the Middle East hit an all-time high 6.46mn b/d for January.