BEIJING, January 20. /TASS/. In 2023, Russia exported a record 107 mln metric tons of oil to China, a 24% rise from 2022, becoming the East Asian country’s largest crude supplier, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China said.

Last year’s crude shipments hit $60.6 bln, a 3.5% increase from 2022.

Russia retained top place among China’s major oil suppliers, leapfrogging Saudi Arabia which shipped 86 mln metric tons and Iraq (59 mln metric tons).

Addressing the 20th meeting of the Intergovernmental Russian-Chinese Commission on Investment Cooperation in December, Chinese Vice-Premier Ding Xuexiang said that his country was willing to push up energy trade with Russia, while Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said bilateral energy cooperation had reached the highest level ever.