China will increase its reserves of oil products following the recent fuel price hike in order to ensure a level of emergency supply, the official Shanghai Securities News reported.

    Su Bo, director of the State Reserves Bureau, was quoted as saying that refiners are expanding capacity after the oil products price hike last month, and specific plaans to raise reserve levels will be implemented soon.

    The bureau in May released reserves in order to ensure supply in Sichuan province, which was hit by a strong earthquake.

    Su said the bureau plans to increase the number of fuel tanks, with construction of some tanks already started.

    The paper said Yunnan and Sichuan provinces in the southwest are among the priority areas for reserve capacity expansion.