China imported 1.32 million tons of natural rubber with 2.52 billion U.S. dollars in value in the first ten months, up 18.4 percent and 79.1 percent year on year respectively, according to the Chinese customs.

Foreign-funded companies digest 43.3 percent of the import, about 570,000 tons, while state-owned enterprises import 398,000 tons and private firms import 286,000 tons, figures from the General Administration of Customs (GAC) show.

About 88.6 percent of the import is from Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. The three countries represent 70 percent of the world natural rubber production.

China is now the world's largest consumer of natural rubber, digesting one fifth of the world total. It will consume 1.5 million tons of natural rubber in 2006, predicted the China RubberIndustry Association.