*Freshly-released official Chinese import stats show the middle kingdom imported a record 2.16mn b/d from Saudi Arabia in May. This comes as overall Chinese crude imports hit a record 11.35mn b/d (MEES, 12 June).
*May imports from Iraq, at 1.64mn b/d, were also a record and over 200,000 b/d above the previous high set last November (MEES, 3 January), and less than 200,000 b/d below number two Russia (1.82mn b/d, the second highest ever). (CONTINUED - 424 WORDS)
