China Economic Watch: Commodity Imports, Trade Deficit, Govt Spending, Industrial Electricity

China imported 19.95 million tons of crude oil in February, up 7.8% year on year, China Customs confirmed with the Wall Street Journal. LNG imports were up 39% year on year to 660,517 tons and natural gas imports totaled 657,949 tons in February.
Source: http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20110321/BCH000833.asp

China imported 6.76 million tons of coal in February, down 48% year on year, China Customs confirmed with the Wall Street Journal. The nation exported 176 million tons of coal in February.
Source: http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20110321/BCH000825.asp

China imported 19,651 tons of sugar in February, up 37% month on month and 220% year on year, China Customs confirmed with Wall Street Journal. Total sugars imports in the first two months were up 131% year on year to 34,018 tons.
Source: http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20110321/BCH000832.asp

China imported 2.32 million tons of soybeans in February, down 50% month on month and 21% year on year, China Customs confirmed with Wall Street Journal. Total soybean imports in the first two months were up 6.1% year on year to 7.45 million tons.
Source: http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20110321/BCH000847.asp

China imported 158,185 tons of copper concentrate in February, down 36% month on month and 28.2% year on year, China Customs confirmed with Wall Street Journal. Total copper concentrate imports in the first two months were down 3.3% year on year to 403,802 tons.
Source: http://cn.wsj.com/gb/20110321/BCH000838.asp

China is likely to record a trade deficit for Q1 2011 and its trade surplus as percentage of GDP is expected to decline further this year from last year's 3.1%, said commerce minister Chen Deming.
Source: http://finance.qq.com/a/20110321/000422.htm

China's government expenditure on social welfare including education, healthcare and public housing will rise 18.1% to ¥1.05 trillion this year, said finance minister Xie Xuren.
Source: http://finance.qq.com/a/20110321/001420.htm

Industrial production used 498.4 billion kW hours of electricity in January-February, up 11.29% year on year, according to the China Electricity Council.
Source: http://www.yicai.com/news/2011/03/711897.html

Citibank plans to open three branches in Nanjing, Changsha and Wuxi this year, said Citibank China Retail Banking director.
Source: http://www.caijing.com.cn/2011-03-21/110670983.html

Shenzhen plans to invest ¥71.5 billion building 240,000 apartments covering 15.36 million m2 in floor space for low income earners to buy and rent over the next five years.
Source: http://www.caijing.com.cn/2011-03-21/110670995.html