April: Further Increase of Gasoline Output
                   and Slight Drop of Lube Oil Output
                              By Guo Tong
The statistics of the State Statistical  Bureau  show  that  there  was
further increase of gasoline output and slight drop of lube oil output
in April.
The gasoline output in April was 2.7070 million tons, a rise of  4. 68%
over the same period last year. The growth rate  was  the  highest  in
Liaoning, being 28.71%. Guangdong came next, being 21.72%.  Gansu  was
the third, being 12.18%. Xinjiang was the fourth, being  7. 61%.   The
gasoline output had some drop in Heilongjiang, Shandong and Shaanxi.
The total gasoline output in the first four months was 10.9083  million
tons, a rise of only 1.30% over the same period last year. The  growth
rate was the highest in Guangdong, being 17.84%. Xinjiang  came  next,
being 13.23%. Heilongjiang was the third, being  11. 29%.   The  total
gasoline output also had some increase in other provinces and regions.
The lube oil output in April was 251 500 tons, a drop of 0.92% from the
same period last year. The growth rate was 35.69% in Heilongjiang,   7
.33% in Gansu, 5.80% in Guangdong and 3.74% in  Xinjiang.   The  output
dropped by 35.09% in Shanghai and 4.77% in Liaoning.  
The total lube oil output in the first four months was 895 800 tons,  a
drop of 8.24% from the same period last year. The reduction  rate  was
the highest in Shanghai, being 40.94%. It was 23.55% in Liaoning.  The
total output had some increase in Heilongjiang, Guangdong,  Gansu  and
Xinjiang.
Table 1   Gasoline Output in Major Provinces in China in April 1998     (t)
───────────────────────────────────────
Province      April   First four  % in the first four  % in April  % in April
                      months      months over the     over March   over April
                                  same period 1997                     1997
───────────────────────────────────────
National
total    2 707 000   10 908 300   1.30                 -1.92          4.68
Liaoning   447 500    1 701 200   7.60                  7.90         28.71
Heilong
jiang      237 900      997 800  11.29                -19.27         -3.78
Shandong   166 300      778 400   3.20                -14.90         -7.56
Guangdong  295 200    1 110 700  17.84                 -2.01         21.72
Shaanxi     51 200      234 200   9.21                -19.40         -9.03
Gansu      132 700      540 800   8.21                 42.76         12.18
Xinjiang   171 900      692 700  13.23                  6.68          7.61
───────────────────────────────────────
Table 2   Lube Oil Output in Major Provinces in China in April 1998     (t)
───────────────────────────────────────
Province   April   First four  % in the first four  % in April   % in April
                   months        months over the     over March   over April
                                 same period 1997                   1997
───────────────────────────────────────
National
total       251 500  895 800             -8.24         0.35        -0.92
Liaoning     38 600  118 800            -23.55        18.87        -4.77
Heilongjiang 21 200   88 100             24.98       -20.81        35.69
Shanghai     24 600   82 500            -40.94        23.62       -35.09
Guangdong    22 500   82 100              5.78        -3.53         5.80
Gansu