China, the world's second largest oil consumer after the U.S., imported 20.41 million metric tons of crude oil in Oct this year, 13.8% less than in the same month of last year, according to the latest figures from China's General Administration of Customs.

The crude oil imports last month were 20.5% less than the 25.68 million metric tons in Sep.

In the first ten months of this year, the country's imports of crude oil totaled 231.62 million metric tons, up 3.4% year on year. The average import price of crude oil was US$777.9 per metric ton in the ten month period, down 4.8% year on year.

The country saw its imports of oil products reach 2.92 million metric tons in Oct, taking its total imports of oil products to 33.38 million metric tons in the first ten months, 3.8% more than in the same period of last year.