BEIJING - China imported 47 percent of its oil needs in 2006, an increase of 4.1 percentage points from the previous year, state media said Tuesday, as the country's thirst for energy supplies grew with the breakneck speed of its economy.

Xinhua News Agency, citing sources in the Ministry of Commerce, also reported that China's dependence on imported oil is likely to rise again in 2007, with China's crude oil output forecast to will grow by less than 2 percent, while demand for both crude and oil products will rise about 6 percent.

China produced 183.68 million tons of crude oil in 2006, up 1.7 percent from the previous year. Net oil imports reached 162.87 million tons, up 19.6 percent, Xinhua said.

According to the General Administration of Customs, in January imports of crude oil were up 3.5 percent over the same month last year, while imports of oil products were up 5.7 percent.

China's gross domestic product grew 10.7 percent last year, several percentage points more than the government first forecast.