China tells refiners to boost gasoline output to ease shortages

A few large refineries under Chinese integrated oil group Sinopec Corp. have adjusted their product yields in September 2005 at the expense of naphtha output for petrochemicals to ease gasoline shortages in the domestic market. Beijing has taken steps to prevent the flow of gasoline overseas, including a temporary removal of a tax rebate on gasoline and naphtha exports and has suspended all exports of gasoline by Chinese refineries under third-party processing deals.