China imported 147,733 mt of synthetic rubber in March, up 44% from the 102,368 mt imported in February and up 10% from 134,590 mt imported in March 2012, preliminary data released Wednesday by the General Administration of Customs showed.
Through March, the country has imported 393,331 mt of synthetic rubber this year, or 9% more than the 359,738 mt imported in the corresponding three months of 2012.
The higher import numbers came as vehicle sales in China accelerated.
According to data released Tuesday by the China Passenger Car Association, March sales of passenger automobiles, sport utility vehicles, multi-purpose vehicles and minivans jumped 15% year on year to 1,459,095 units.
The import data did not provide the supply sources of the synthetic rubber, which typically accounts for about a third of the composition of a pneumatic passenger car tire.