China bought 8.47 million tons of paper pulp from abroad last year, representing a year-on-year increase of 6.5 percent, sources with the General Administration of Customs said on Sunday.

The arrivals were valued at $5.55 billion, up 26.3 percent.

The more rapid growth in gross import value was due to price rises. Average price of the imports was $655 per ton, up 18.7 percent. The higher price was a result of continuous price hikes for lumber amid log export ban and restrictions for forest resources protection.

Of the total, 69.3 percent, or 5.87 million tons, were bought in general trade, up 5.7 percent, and 1.34 million tons, in processing trade, down 10 percent.

Last year, 2.23 million tons of paper pulp were imported from Canada, making up 26.3 percent of China's total paper pulp imports.

Other major paper pulp suppliers for China included Chile, Russia, the United States and ASEAN members.

The customs sources said reducing production and increasing demand at home accounted for the import growth.

As part of energy conservation and emissions reduction efforts, China shut down 1,562 small pulp workshops in the first three quarters of 2007, leading to a decrease of 15 percent in paper pulp production nationwide.

China is now the world's second largest paper consumer, next only to the United States. The country's demand for paper pulp will further grow, the sources added.