China’s crude imports continued to fall in June, driven by a steep decline in shipments from the Middle East, while purchases of other energy sources recovered in a sign the country may be seeking to reduce reliance on volatile oil imports.Chinese crude imports from Gulf nations plunged 76.1 per cent year on year in June by volume, according to customs data released on Monday.Purchases from Russia also declined for a second consecutive month, slipping 0.6 per cent year on year, as market fallout from the Iran war pushed up Russian crude prices and eroded the steep discounts Beijing previously enjoyed.China’s total crude imports declined 41.3 per cent year on year to 29.27 million tonnes in June.“Weak refining margins, ongoing restrictions on refined product exports, and subdued domestic fuel demand continue to cap refinery throughput and, in turn, crude buying,” said Xu Muyu, a senior crude oil analyst at trade intelligence firm Kpler.She noted that June’s import data largely reflected purchases made in March and April, when oil prices remained elevated.“As a result, I expect China’s seaborne crude imports to remain relatively low through July to September,” Xu said.