China Petroleum and Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Group), one of the country's oil giants, will import another 80,000 tons of diesel oil by the end of this month to help guarantee domestic supplies.

The fuel will arrive in two cargoes, one going to the southern province of Guangdong and the other to the eastern province of Zhejiang, according to the Guangdong-based New Express Daily.

The company has imported 383,000 tons of refined products, including 90,000 tons of gasoline and 298,000 tons of diesel oil, since September, said the report.

The company will still import another 316,000 tons of refined products next month to ease domestic shortages. Sinopec was also likely to purchase stockpiles from private domestic companies at international prices, the report said.

The government has ordered oil companies to increase production and imports to avoid emergency fuel shortages.

Shortages have eased since price hikes earlier this month, but many regions still face a tight diesel market and many filling stations are experiencing shortages.

(Xinhua News Agency November 26, 2007)