Why China’s Commodity Imports Rise amid Struggling Economy

So far this year, China has imported growing volumes of most of the key commodities, with the notable exception of crude oil. Chinese purchases of LNG, coal, copper, and iron ore jumped in the first half of the year compared to year-ago levels, despite a continued property crisis and a faltering economy, which disappointed market bulls with growth coming in below expectations in the second quarter.   If the Chinese economy is weaker than thought, then why is China importing more of the commodities that are typically viewed as a gauge for the…